We're going to show a series of messages that you might see before you make an investment decision
Decide whether the message increases ⬆️ or decreases ⬇️ your confidence in that investment decision
Let's get started.
Put your Informed skills into action
0% completed
Message 1: Get in now before the price goes up!
80% of people who invested in this doubled their returns last week.
Ouch - looks like you fell for a common tactic used to create hype around an investment.
Messages like these use social proof to persuade us to invest. Seeing others invest makes us think it's a smart move, even if that's not always the case.
REMEMBER: Many other people investing doesn't guarantee a good investment. Do your own research to find the right investment for you.
Message 6: This investment has increased 20% over the past 3 weeks and will keep going up.
See your informed tips and tricks
Explore how smart investors see through the hype and make rational decisions ruled by their heads, not their hearts.
Make your investment pledge
Evidence suggests that planning ahead and making a commitment to perform an action before investing should make you less likely to make a bad investment decision and help you avoid falling for common techniques used to create hype around investment decisions.
Reflect on what you could do to avoid making a bad investment decision by falling for scarcity and social proof techniques, or taking advice from untrustworthy sources of information.
Committing to your plan will make it more likely that you put it into action. Many other investors like you have already committed to their personalised plans. Would you like to do the same?
Now, make your plan by completing the sentence below:
(You can screenshot or copy your answer to save for later)
If you were to make a bad investment where you lost a significant amount of money, what would the impact be on your friends and family?
Please take a moment to reflect and then fill in your responses to the questions below.
If you were to make a bad investment where you lost a significant amount of money, how would you feel?
Please take a moment to reflect and then fill in your responses to the questions below.
You said making an investment decision based on the above would concern you most.
If you were to make a bad investment where you lost a significant amount of money, how would that affect your life?
Please take a moment to reflect and then fill in your responses to the questions below.
What would happen?
Oops – BenGenie has a strong social media presence but does not have the attributes of a trustworthy source of investment advice.
REMEMBER: Not everything on social media is true. Regulated advisors are authorised by the FCA.
Before following anyone’s advice, it’s worth checking to see if they appear on the Financial Services Register.
If they don't, they may work for an unauthorised firm or deliberately run scams.
The list below contains features of risky investment decisions that can result in losing a significant amount of money.
Thinking about your investments. Which of these would most concern you? (one answer)
Making an investment decision…
Good shout - CathieKin is a regulated financial advisor with professional experience and a background in finance.
All of which can be attributes of a trustworthy source of investment advice.
REMEMBER: Not everything on social media is true. Regulated advisors are authorised by the FCA.
Before following anyone’s advice, it’s worth checking to see if they appear on the Financial Services Register. If they don't, they may work for an unauthorised firm or deliberately run scams.
The list below contains features of risky investment decisions that can result in losing a significant amount of money.
Thinking about your investments. Which of these would most concern you? (one answer)
Making an investment decision…
This investment has increased 20% over the past 3 weeks and will keep going up.
Well done - you've avoided falling for a tactic used to create hype around investments.
Beware of messages using past performance to predict future performance on an investment. It's unreliable as markets are always changing. What was hot yesterday could tank today due to various factors like market trends or economic shifts.
REMEMBER: Past performance isn't a reliable indicator of future success. Do your own research on investments and factors affecting their performance.
Imagine you are receiving investment advice from the following sources
Comparing only their relative attributes, who do you think is a more reliable source of investment advice?
CathieKin
223 social media followers / MSc Finance / 10 years professional investing experience / Regulated financial advisor
BenGenie
1.7k social media followers / Amateur investor for 5 years / Strong public investment portfolio / Regularly posts on investment forums
This investment has increased 20% over the past 3 weeks and will keep going up.
Uh oh - looks like you've fallen for a tactic used to create hype around investments.
Beware of messages using past performance to predict future performance on an investment. It's unreliable as markets are always changing. What was hot yesterday could tank today due to various factors like market trends or economic shifts.
REMEMBER: Past performance isn't a reliable indicator of future success. Do your own research on investments and factors affecting their performance.
Imagine you are receiving investment advice from the following sources
Comparing only their relative attributes, who do you think is a more reliable source of investment advice?
CathieKin
223 social media followers / MSc Finance / 10 years professional investing experience / Regulated financial advisor
BenGenie
1.7k social media followers / Amateur investor for 5 years / Strong public investment portfolio / Regularly posts on investment forums
80% of people who invested in this doubled their returns last week.
Way to go - you dodged a common tactic used to create hype around an investment.
Messages like these use social proof to persuade us to invest. Seeing others invest makes us think it's a smart move, even if that's not always the case.
REMEMBER: Many other people investing doesn't guarantee a good investment. Do your own research to find the right investment for you.
Message 6: This investment has increased 20% over the past 3 weeks and will keep going up.
Don’t just follow what others are doing, make sure the investment is right for you.
Oops – This message is telling you to do your own research and not just trust what others are doing. That's exactly what you should be doing.
Hyped investments that use what others are doing to persuade us to invest use messages that tell us how many others have invested and the returns they have supposedly made.
For example: "Other investors have made significant returns through this investment."
Message 5: 80% of people who invested in this doubled their returns last week.
Don’t just follow what others are doing, make sure the investment is right for you.
Good job – This message is telling you to do your own research and not just trust what others are doing. That's exactly what you should be doing.
Hyped investments that use what others are doing to persuade us to invest use messages that tell us how many others have invested and the returns they have supposedly made.
For example: "Other investors have made significant returns through this investment."
Message 5: 80% of people who invested in this doubled their returns last week.
There are very few coins left available...once they're gone, they're gone.
Nice one - you stayed clear of falling for a typical strategy aimed at amplifying the buzz around an investment.
Messages like these create a sense of urgency, suggesting that coins are running out, even if they might not be. This type of messaging pressures you into hasty decisions. It creates a fear you'll miss out if you don't act immediately.
REMEMBER: Limited availability of an investment isn't an indicator of something being a good investment. Take your time to do your research before deciding to invest.
Message 4: Don’t just follow what others are doing, make sure the investment is right for you.
There are very few coins left available...once they're gone, they're gone.
Whoops - you've encountered a typical strategy aimed at amplifying the buzz around an investment.
Messages like these create a sense of urgency, suggesting that coins are running out, even if they might not be. This type of messaging pressures you into hasty decisions. It creates a fear you'll miss out if you don't act immediately.
REMEMBER: Limited availability of an investment isn't an indicator of something being a good investment. Take your time to do your research before deciding to invest.
Message 4: Don’t just follow what others are doing, make sure the investment is right for you.
You can invest any time and it will show in your investment account within 3 working days.
Oops – this message explicitly tells you to take your time!
Hyped investments try to get you to act quickly by creating the perception that there is not much time to make your investment decision.
For example: "Act now before it's too late" or "Get in there quickly...only a limited number available for the first few investors."
Message 3: There are very few coins left available...once they're gone, they're gone.
You can invest any time and it will show in your investment account within 3 working days.
Good job – this message explicitly tells you to take your time!
Hyped investments try to get you to act quickly by creating the perception that there is not much time to make your investment decision.
For example: "Act now before it's too late" or "Get in there quickly...only a limited number available for the first few investors."
Message 3: There are very few coins left available...once they're gone, they're gone.
Message 2: Once your opportunity to invest closes, there is a cooling-off period of 3 days.
Get in now before the price goes up! - Increases my confidence to invest
Nice, you didn't fall for a common tactic to push people to act quickly to invest!
Be aware of this scarcity messaging. It creates the perception that there is not much time to make your investment decision, which makes you feel like you need to act fast so you don't miss out.
Remember:
Having limited time to invest isn't an indicator you should use when deciding whether something is a good investment - it's more likely to be the opposite. You should always take your time to decide whether an investment is right for you.
Let's imagine you are receiving advice from the following sources
Comparing only their relative attributes, who do you think is a more reliable source for investment advice?
InvestIcon
Posts exclusively about crypto investing / Reports high returns on social media / Offers hot tips on investment advice
James
2 social media followers / Professional financial advisor for 3 years / Authorised by the FCA on the Financial Services Register
Get in now before the price goes up! - Increases my confidence to invest
Oops! You fell for a common tactic used to increase the hype around investment decisions 😪
Be aware of this scarcity messaging. It creates the perception that there is not much time to make your investment decision, which makes you feel like you need to act fast so you don't miss out.
Remember:
Having limited time to invest isn't an indicator you should use when deciding whether something is a good investment - it's more likely to be the opposite. You should always take your time to decide whether an investment is right for you.
Let's imagine you are receiving advice from the following sources
Comparing only their relative attributes, who do you think is a more reliable source for investment advice?
InvestIcon
Posts exclusively about crypto investing / Reports high returns on social media / Offers hot tips on investment advice
James
2 social media followers / Professional financial advisor for 3 years / Authorised by the FCA on the Financial Services Register