Bots in the comments and live chat: “DM me for signals”, impersonation and fake reviews
Automated accounts regularly show up under trading videos and in live-stream chats, including mine. They offer signals, a “free VIP group”, an “account manager” or contact with “the expert who doubled my capital”. Here's how they work, how to recognise them and what to do when such a message reaches you.
The 5 types of bots I see most often
- The group invite. “Thanks for the valuable video, for more signals message me on Telegram…” or “check my profile”. The goal is to move the conversation off the platform, where moderation no longer applies.
- The fake creator. An account with my photo and a name that differs by one letter, a dot or an underscore replies to comments: “Thanks for your comment, message me privately”. That's what creator impersonation looks like. A real creator doesn't move the conversation to private messages to sell you something.
- The fake review chain. One account asks “can anyone recommend a good mentor?”, and several others reply with the name of the same “expert” and stories of profits. It looks like a conversation between happy clients, but all the accounts belong to one person or one script.
- “Loss recovery”. Replies to comments from people who wrote that they lost money: “I got my funds back thanks to…”. It's a second round of fraud aimed at the victims of the first. CSIRT KNF (the Polish financial sector's cyber security team) lists “recovering lost funds” among the most common themes of investment scams.
- Link spam. Short messages with a link, a code or a request to get in touch, sent en masse to many channels at once. They often have typos in well-known names or characters from other alphabets to get past filters.
How to spot a bot or a fake
- Name and verification badge. Compare the name character by character with the account you follow. Fakes add a dot, a digit, an underscore or the word “official”.
- Account age and history. A recently created account with no content of its own, or with a few copied videos.
- Content unrelated to the video. The same generic praise and the same offer under hundreds of videos.
- Contact off the platform. WhatsApp, Telegram, a phone number, “DM me”.
- Promises of profit and urgency. “I doubled my capital in a month”, “only 3 spots left”.
What I do on my channels
I delete these messages from the chat and block the accounts when I see them. Some bots still get through, because they change names and spelling faster than they can all be caught. So the rule is simple: any offer of signals, account management or “DM me” contact in my chat does not come from me.
What to do if you get such a message
- Don't reply and don't click any links. A reply confirms the account is active and opens the door to more messages.
- Report the account on the platform as spam or impersonation. If it impersonates a creator, let the creator know on their official channel.
- Check the firm in the registers and on the public warning list of your financial regulator (in Poland: the KNF) if someone offers you an investment, an account or an “account manager”. Step by step: how to check a broker with the KNF.
- Report the scam – in Poland to CERT Polska (incydent.cert.pl); suspicious text messages can be forwarded free of charge to 8080. Elsewhere, use your national cybercrime reporting service.
- If you've already sent money: contact your bank immediately and report it to the police. Beware of anyone else who promises to “recover your funds” for a fee.
The scale in numbers
- In 2025 CSIRT KNF reported 40,225 domains of fake investment schemes and 9,751 ads for blocking, as well as 4,358 social media profiles.
- From January to August 2026, 5,132 profiles publishing such content were reported for blocking.
- According to CSIRT KNF, some campaigns have moved from external websites to forms and profiles inside the social networks themselves. I cover the data from the whole report in the article KNF warnings and trading.
The most common bot offer under trading content is signals, especially for gold. I explain how that business works and why gold in the article Gold signals (XAUUSD).
Frequently asked questions
Why are there so many bots under trading videos?
Because trading content attracts people who want to make money, and some of them have already lost money. Bots try to move the conversation to private messages, beyond the platform's moderation, and sell signals, “account management” or “loss recovery”.
How do I tell a real creator from a fake in the comments?
Compare the name character by character and open the profile: a fake is usually new, has no content of its own and suggests contact on WhatsApp or Telegram. A real creator doesn't sell investments in private messages.
Where do I report an account offering fake investments?
On the platform as spam or impersonation, to your national cybercrime service (in Poland: CERT Polska via incydent.cert.pl), and if you've lost money, to your bank and the police. Check the firm in the regulator's registers and on its public warning list.
Does Lucas Hetman sell signals or send private messages?
No. I don't run a signals group and I never send the first private message. The only addresses I give out are hetmancapital.com and club.hetmancapital.com.
Educational content, not an investment recommendation or legal or tax advice. I name firms only to show public data from registers and from their own risk warnings.