Investors are almost twice as likely to recognise pressure tactics in a horror film as they are when those tactics are used to promote an investment opportunity, new FCA data suggests.
A survey of UK 18 to 40-year-olds who own or are considering investments found 65% spotted ‘this is your only chance’ as a classic horror warning sign. But when faced with a ‘last chance to buy’ investment opportunity, only 36% said it would make them more cautious, while 37% said they would feel pressure to buy quickly or risk missing out.
The pattern also holds for other pressure tactics. While 59% recognised countdowns like the ticking clock in 'Saw' as a tactic designed to make characters act rashly, just 5% said they would be suspicious of the pressure created by a rising investment price graph.
Blind spots show up with novelty, too. Nearly half (47%) recognised that horror sequels often bring back familiar threats disguised as something new. Yet only 12% were similarly sceptical of a 'groundbreaking new' investment product, while 1 in 10 said being new would actually make them more likely to invest.
Peer pressure and hype also influenced attitudes towards investment. While 80% recognised ‘trust me, it's fine, everyone's doing it’ as a warning sign in a horror scenario, almost 3 in 10 (29%) said excitement from friends or group chats about an investment would reassure them or make them trust the opportunity rather than doing their own research.
Lucy Castledine, director of consumer investments at the FCA, said: 'Many people can spot a horror movie trap a mile off, but this survey suggests they’re far less likely to recognise the same tactics when they're used to influence investment decisions. Hype, urgency and fear of missing out can all influence how people invest, so before acting on an opportunity, do your research and make sure it's right for you.'
The FCA's InvestSmart campaign[1] helps consumers make more informed investment decisions. Its Hype Type Revealer[2] helps people understand what may influence their decisions and how to avoid being drawn in by investment hype.
Note to editors
- Research conducted by Attest on behalf of the FCA. Fieldwork conducted on 9 October 2026. The sample comprised 666 respondents based in the UK, and was open to all adults across the 18 to 40 age range. All participants either currently own investments or would consider buying investments in the next 12 months.
- Additional findings from the research include:
- Around half of respondents hold a stocks and shares ISA.
- 1 in 4 own cryptocurrency.
- Nearly 1 in 10 own NFTs.
- Initial testing of the Hype Type Revealer with more than 600 retail investors found its training intervention reduced high-risk investment decisions[3] by 34.9%, even 7 days later.