Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Enforcement

Updated Investor Alert: Social Media and Investing - Avoiding Fraud

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Alert to help investors be better aware of fraudulent investment schemes that may involve social media. U.S. retail investors are increasingly turning to social media, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and other online networks for information about investing. Whether it be for research on particular stocks, background information on a broker-dealer or investment adviser, guidance on an overall investing strategy, up-to-date news, or to simply discuss the markets with others, social media has become a key tool for U.S. investors.

Investor Alert: Look Out For Possible Investment Scams Related to the Texas Floods

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) urges investors to be vigilant for investment scams related to natural disasters, including the recent Texas floods.

Fraudsters often seek to use disasters and other events, such as floods, wildfires, and hurricanes to lure victims into investment scams. These frauds may directly target individuals receiving money from insurance companies or other sources.

These investment frauds can take many forms. For example, fraudsters may:

Investor Alert: Be Vigilant for Possible Investment Scams Related to the California Wildfires

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) urges investors to be on the lookout for investment scams related to natural disasters, including the recent California wildfires.

Fraudsters often seek to use disasters and other events, such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and oil spills, to lure victims into investment scams. These frauds may directly target individuals receiving money from insurance companies or other sources.

These investment frauds can take many forms. For example, fraudsters may:

Natural Disasters and Investment Scams – Investor Alert

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) urges investors to be on the lookout for investment scams related to natural disasters, including recent hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Fraudsters often seek to use disasters and other events, such as hurricanes, floods, oil spills, and wildfires, to lure victims into investment scams. These frauds may directly target individuals receiving money from insurance companies or other sources.

Technology and Digital Finance: World Investor Week 2024 — Investor Bulletin

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC’s) Office of Customer Education and Outreach, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), the National Futures Association (NFA), and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) are issuing this Investor Bulletin to provide investors with information for World Investor Week 2024, a global campaign promoted by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) to raise awareness about the importance of investor education and protection.

Relationship Investment Scams – Investor Alert

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Office of Customer Education and Outreach (OCEO), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) are issuing this Investor Alert to warn investors about relationship investment scams.

5 Ways Fraudsters May Lure Victims Into Scams Involving Crypto Asset Securities – Investor Alert

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Alert because fraudsters continue to exploit the popularity of crypto assets to lure retail investors into scams. Crypto assets may include assets commonly referred to as cryptocurrencies, crypto, coins, and tokens.

Spotting and Reporting Investment Scams Targeting Older Investors

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Alert to help law enforcement professionals and others identify if an older investor has been a victim of investment fraud, and to explain how to report it to appropriate authorities.

First, identify whether there may be investment fraud.

Here are some tell-tale signs:

Return to Top