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Your financial firm may request that you give them the name and contact information of a “trusted contact.” While it is not mandatory that you do so, state securities regulators, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and FINRA encourage you to consider providing the name of someone you trust as a contact on your accounts.

Scammers may falsely claim to be registered with state securities regulators, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in order to lure investors into scams, or even impersonate real investment professionals who actually are registered with these organizations. 

Self-directed IRAs allow investment in a broader – and potentially riskier – portfolio of assets than other types of IRAs. Investors should be mindful that investing through self-directed IRAs raises risks, such as fraudulent schemes, high fees, and volatile performance.

Dating apps and social media platforms have become popular ways to meet new people, but be cautious if someone turns an online romance into an opportunity to solicit an investment or asks to borrow money. Scammers are increasingly posing as potential romantic partners to lure people into fraudulent investment schemes. This advisory discusses common tactics used in investment-related romance scams and what you can do to protect yourself.

The growing popularity and complexity of AI is being used to lure investors into scams. Look out for these red flags to help keep your money safe.

Learn how to spot red flags and protect yourself from affinity fraud.

Influencers and celebrities may be paid to endorse an investment product, or their likeness may be used by scammers to create fake endorsements. Be wary of investment endorsements from celebrities or professional athletes on TV, radio, news sites or social media.

Account takeover (ATO) fraud occurs when a bad actor gains unauthorized entry to an investor’s account, which enables them to conduct fraudulent financial transactions. They will often use compromised security information (e.g., logins and passwords) to access bank and brokerage accounts for the purpose of conducting illegal funds transfers, retail purchases, and trading activity.