Recent research indicates that these online forums have become a major source of investing information. Overall, it found 12 per cent of retail investors used online forums, such as Reddit, for investment advice. Can investors trust online advice? Skimming through online forums, there are plenty of anonymous users asking for help and reassurance about their personal finances and investments. However, financial advice can often prove prohibitively expensive, with many turned off from paying for advice even if they can afford to do so.