Investor Advisories
March 7, 2018
Informed Investor Advisory: Unicorns
Unicorns are not just the stuff of fairy tales; some financial unicorns exist today. But investing in unicorns is speculative, and generally is unavailable to retail investors. Retail investors looking to bet on a unicorn may be able to do so indirectly through a mutual fund, exchange-traded fund or business development company. But beware; investing in unicorns is risky. This investment may bite.
September 13, 2017
Informed Investor Advisory: Binary Options
In 2015, NASAA cautioned investors that binary options were on the verge of becoming the “Next Big Thing.” Since then, several regulators have issued alerts about the proliferation of online binary options platforms and the growing number of related investor complaints. The following information updates and expands NASAA’s 2015 advisory.
August 25, 2016
Informed Investor Advisory: Escheatment
Escheatment is a process whereby the government takes ownership of property, including financial assets, that has been deemed abandoned by the property’s rightful owner. Escheatment of financial accounts typically occurs after a period of account-related dormancy (or “inactivity”) and after attempts to identify and contact the account owners have failed.
August 25, 2016
Informed Investor Advisory: EB-5 Fraud
Under the EB-5 program, foreign investors who meet certain eligibility requirements can apply for conditional resident alien status (i.e., a conditional “green card”) in the United States by investing in the American economy. The EB-5 program has increased in popularity in recent years and with it has come increased allegations of fraud.
April 5, 2016
Informed Investor Advisory: Pension Advance Scams
In many ways, this current scam is similar to earlier scams involving viatical and life settlement holders. Both involve people holding entitlements to large amounts of money who need cash fast. Scammers offer to purchase the rights to those cash entitlements at a discount and then seek to sell investment interests in these rights to investors.
December 10, 2015
Informed Investor Advisory: Third-Party Asset Recovery Companies
Victims of investment scams are wise to use caution if approached by companies promising to help them recover their lost investment funds and bring the perpetrators to “justice.”
November 9, 2015
Informed Investor Advisory: The Next Big Thing
Are you an informed investor? The Next Big Thing At first glance, marijuana, binary options, and digital currency appear to have no real connection to one another. But what they all have in common is their recent emergence as three investments that both sellers and buyers hope will become the “next big thing.” Before you consider investing, make […]
April 22, 2015
Informed Investor Advisory: Understanding Broker-Dealer Fees
Savvy consumers know it is important to compare prices on similar products to get the best value for their money. Wouldn’t it be nice if the same were true when shopping for a broker-dealer firm to handle your investments?
January 28, 2015
Informed Investor Advisory: Cybersecurity
The list of financial institutions targeted by organized cyber attacks continues to grow with ever-increasing frequency. Since investors are encouraged to take steps to ensure their own personal systems are updated with the latest anti-virus and anti-malware software, and to follow proper account password safety protocol, they generally trust their investment professionals to do the same on their behalf. But do they?
December 1, 2014
