Legal information notice: this article provides general information and isn't a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer.
A message lands on WhatsApp: “Buy this stock today, target +40% by Friday.” A few tips later you are asked to pay for a premium plan, hand over control of your trading account, or move money into a “special” account. Stock tips on WhatsApp are one of the most common entry points for investment fraud — and the tips themselves are often the bait, not the product.
Under SEBI’s rules, giving investment advice for a fee generally requires registration as an investment adviser, and research analysts are registered separately. SEBI’s public guidance is blunt about unsolicited advice: don’t trust it, especially when it arrives on messaging platforms, and be wary of anyone promising guaranteed high returns with little or no risk. Registration can be checked on SEBI’s website through its intermediary search before you act on anything.
No genuine adviser needs your trading account password or OTP. If you already shared them, change the password immediately.
Change your password, enable two-factor authentication, log out of all sessions, and tell your broker if you see trades you did not place.
If you paid for tips or transferred money to a “manager”, give your bank the payment details and ask for further debits to be blocked.
Report at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 with chats, numbers, and payment proof.
If a SEBI-registered intermediary was involved, lodge a complaint at scores.sebi.gov.in, attaching the evidence. For unregistered people and impersonation, rely on the police and cyber crime complaint.
Keep the original messages, including the sender’s number, profile name, and any group links. If a tip was followed by a sharp fall in the stock, note the dates and prices too — they can help an investigator see the pattern.
| Registered Adviser | WhatsApp Tip Scam |
|---|---|
| SEBI registration you can verify in SEBI's intermediary search | Claims of registration you cannot match on SEBI's site |
| Fee structure disclosed; no promise of returns | Guaranteed or 'assured' profits |
| You keep control of your own account | Asks for your login, OTP or account handling |
| Advice tied to your profile and risk | Same 'target' blasted to a whole group |
No. Reporting to your bank, the cyber crime portal, and SEBI’s SCORES is free.
Yes. A lawyer is worth considering if you lost significant money, if your trading account was operated by someone else, or if you want to pursue recovery beyond the police complaint.
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Giving investment advice for a fee generally requires SEBI registration. Unregistered paid advice can attract regulatory action, and tips that come with guaranteed returns are a fraud warning sign.
Use the intermediary search on SEBI’s website and match the name and registration number. Fraudsters sometimes copy or slightly alter real details.
Someone offers to trade your account for a share of profits and asks for your login. SEBI has warned that such handlers are not registered, and any losses are yours.
Yes. Report to your bank and 1930 with the messages and payment proof, and use SEBI’s SCORES portal if a registered intermediary was involved.
Free tips can still be the start of a pump-and-dump or a paid-upsell scheme. Treat every unsolicited tip with caution and verify independently.
Save the evidence first — number, profile, chats, and group link — then block and report the account on the platform.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Verify any adviser or investment offer independently through SEBI’s official channels.
