People living in Sussex saw more than £19 million taken from them through investment scams over the course of last year.

figures from Sussex Police show that local residents submitted roughly 662 complaints about investment fraud in 2025, with the total sum lost reaching £19,170,220.

Across the whole of the United Kingdom, those who fell victim to investment fraud lost a combined sum greater than £879 million throughout 2025.

Police Constable Bernadette Lawrie, acting as the financial abuse safeguarding officer, said various forms of deception continue to be reported, such as illegitimate bond programmes, trading websites, and fraudulent cryptocurrency ventures.

These deceptive operations surface on social media platforms, often using videos manipulated with artificial intelligence, deepfakes showing famous personalities or public figures, and copycat internet pages to create an appearance of trustworthiness and attract potential targets.

Those responsible deploy highly convincing and manipulative tactics to generate a sense of urgency and misplaced assurance.

The average person who lost money parted with more than £25,000, as wrongdoers increasingly turn to sophisticated digital tools to deceive consumers.

Scammers regularly approach victims without warning while pretending to work for reputable investment companies.

They might bring up personal details or real investment possibilities to appear genuine, and may also suggest retrieving lost funds in exchange for a single payment.

PC Lawrie warned that the impact goes beyond financial harm.

She said investment fraud takes many different forms, but the mental and monetary destruction suffered by those affected remains the same regardless of the method used.

Given the significant sums some people have lost, such financial offences cause severe and lasting emotional and economic consequences.

Members of the public are urged to take simple protective steps before committing to any investment.

PC Lawrie stated people should think carefully and seek independent advice before moving forward with any investment proposal.

Sussex Police continues to work to help those affected retrieve their money and stop further crimes, including situations where offenders focus on people who have already been victimised.

Older or vulnerable individuals who have been targeted by investment fraud can get in touch with Sussex Police by dialing 101.

Everyone else can file a complaint through Report Fraud at www.reportfraud.police.uk or by phoning 0300 123 2040.