Alert all of Spain about the new WhatsApp scam: "Many have lost their life savings."

There's a widespread feeling that everything is getting more expensive, and the problem is that it's not just a feeling, it's a reality. That's why, in addition to tightening their belts, Spaniards are looking for ways to earn more money, and financial investments are a good way to do so.

Unfortunately, this has not gone unnoticed by cybercriminals, who try to take advantage of anything popular or appealing to users to create frauds and scams that steal their victims' banking and personal information.

For this reason, banks are warning about a new type of scam called the false investor scam, which has resulted in the loss of many people's life savings . Anyone can become a victim of this scam, Cajamar warns on its website.

The danger is even greater, because now it seems that the deception starts from the WhatsApp app itself , where the user receives a message from a supposed investor offering them a juicy, highly secure opportunity that offers huge returns.

It's easy to fall for them, first because of the money they offer, but also because they pretend to be our own bank or recognized entities , and there are times when the victims even receive some profits from their first investments, but when they reach a really large one is when they lose the money.

Scammers also trick users by creating WhatsApp groups with more people in them, offering advice or training from supposed experts in the field, all to make the scam more believable.

If you don't want to end up falling victim to an investment scam, we recommend you keep the following warning signs in mind so you can detect it early:

• Do your research before you invest.
• Beware of unsolicited offers.
• Always seek financial advice before making a commitment.
• Check whether the company has the necessary permits from the CNMV and the International Organization of Securities Commissions for the sale of investments.
• Be wary if you are promised high returns with little or no risk.
• Don't rush. Scammers often insist you make an immediate decision because of a limited-time offer.
• Never send money to personal or foreign accounts.

In addition to these recommendations, the National Securities Market Commission, as part of its efforts to improve the fight against fraud, has launched I-SCAN, a new investor warning system for entities not authorized to provide investment services.

This new tool receives alerts and warnings about companies that are not authorized to provide investment services and can be very useful for investors to verify, prior to making an investment, whether the company has the permits and licenses required by the CNMV and the International Organization of Securities Commissions.