Investors enjoy numerous benefits, from attractive returns to tax advantages. However, they are also likely to experience losses, fraud and other negative impacts. Being adequately informed can help protect one from such issues. Here are four things to consider before...
Securities Fraud
Unhappy with your investment adviser? 3 things to know
Retaining a financial professional to guide you on investments is an important decision. Sometimes, the relationship falls short and an investor becomes concerned that an adviser has failed to honor industry standards. Here are three things to know if you run into...
SEC: Big WeedGenics cannabis offering was just a Ponzi scheme
The SEC recently got an emergency order to shut down a company called Integrated Natural Resources, Inc., which was doing business as WeedGenics. The agency is charging its owners with securities fraud after it discovered that the business was a complete sham....
Is this investment the opportunity of a lifetime? Or is it all ‘HYIP’?
When a potential investment promises a very high yield with little risk, you have to wonder. If it’s so great, why isn’t everyone investing in it? Why is it being made available to me? That’s because investment programs that offer returns of 30% or more without much...
Why me? I’m not a fool. Securities fraud affects sophisticated people
If you think you were taken in by securities fraud, you’re probably right. Unfortunately, it happens a lot. It happens to smart people. It happens to people who are sophisticated and well-educated. It happens to a really wide range of people young and old, wealthy and...
Can I sue my financial advisor for lost money?
Yes. Specifically, if your advisor was licensed through the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), you can file an arbitration claim to get some or all of your money back. Whether your claim will succeed depends on exactly what happened. All investments...
5 tactics securities fraudsters use and 4 ways to defeat them
It doesn’t matter that you’re a savvy investor. It doesn’t matter if you’re educated, if you’re smart or if you’re self-reliant. In fact, if you’re nearing or at retirement age with substantial assets, you may be just who securities fraudsters and pyramid schemers are...
What happens to my investment accounts if my identity is stolen?
Unfortunately, identity theft is rampant. We can all take steps to limit the exposure of our personal information, but we may be targeted anyway. If your identity is stolen, the thieves will do everything they can to get into all of your financial accounts. That...
SEC charges 8 social media influencers with $100-million securities fraud
You should never make investment decisions based on social media information. It may be tempting to think you have unusual insight and that you are putting pieces together in a way that others are not. Unfortunately, it’s more likely that you’re being scammed. As...
4 tips for avoiding investment fraud on social media
As we consider various investments, we often wish we had an edge over other investors. We would never engage in insider trading, but it would surely be good to get in on the first floor. Savvy investors rely on a great deal of information when choosing stocks....