You know that the factors affecting an investment’s valuation go behind standard data and metrics. Often, an investment’s value can hinge largely on highly subjective factors, like public perception. The “reputation” of an asset or security can either signal an attractive investment opportunity or drive away investors. You’ve probably heard…
As an investor, risks are things you have to take into account. Before every investment decision, you need to assess potential risks and recognize ways to mitigate them. While its true that some securities and assets may have more associated risks than others, there is one they all share: the…
In a recently filed complaint,The SEC charged a prominent pastor in a scheme to defraud investors out of millions of dollars. Using his religious clout and reputation, the pastor leveraged investments out of devoted followers, mainly elderly. Between 2013 and 2014, the SEC alleges that Kirbyjon Caldwell, Pastor of the…
Industry watchdogs turn their focus on Wells’ wealth-management services It seems that we may not have yet seen the end of the Wells Fargo accounts scandal. The Justice Department has taken an increased interest in Wells Fargo’s wealth-management unit following whistle-blower claims that the bank’s wealth-management customers have been affected.…
Bitcoin – Big Coin – Bitcoin – Big Coin… Read that over a few times. Are those two words beginning to sound similar? That’s what the founders of My Big Coin, Inc. were hoping when they created their cryptocurrency investment offering. The Nevada-based company has been accused of defrauding investors…
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) recently reached a settlement sum of $5.5 billion with the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) in the agency’s lawsuit. One down, one to go This settles at least one of the the two mortgage-baked securities lawsuits against RBS in U.S. courts. Another lawsuit…
A recent New York Times article spotlights a renewed approach and increased legislative response to financial elder abuse. Featured in the article are personal accounts of real people whose family members and close friends have been affected by elder financial abuse. Investment fraud and financial abuse directed towards seniors and…
Ever wonder about how customer disputes are resolved between investors and broker-dealers? Is a lawsuit necessary? Do you need to hire a lawyer? Settling Customer Disputes Usually, disputes over securities brokerage/trading are settled through arbitration as opposed to traditional litigation. Though arbitration is the primary form of dispute resolution, mediation…
Insecure Financial Securities Last week, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) handed out a $650,000 fine to a broker-dealer in the Lincoln Financial Network. The industry watchdog group found that the independent broker-dealer in Lincoln Financial’s network allowed thousands of customers’ data to be exposed to foreign hackers. Similarly FINRA also found…
We’ve talked a lot about investment scams in the past. Fraudsters are always finding new ways to take advantage of unwitting investors. However, there are several top investment scams that fraudsters favor and which serve as the basis for many new types of investment fraud. Investors should recognize most of…