Two Florida men have been charged with insider trading in relation to a larger investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The investigation uncovered an insider trading scheme spanning from New York to Florida and California. The scheme was perpetuated by a former IT employee of a large, New York bank.
The man passed along insider trading tips to two of his friends in Florida, who created shell companies to carry out trades.
Not surprisingly, these two individuals were inexperienced traders, that’s why they participated in the scheme in the first place. If you’re a serious investor, you know that participating in illicit investment practices like insider trading is not only risky from a legal standpoint, but a risk financially as well.
Nobody can guarantee completely the strength of an investment. Not even insider information can be 100 percent sure. There is a lot that can go sideways between receiving inside information and executing your trade. For one thing, the information you receive may be inaccurate. Or, it could be accurate but based on information that has since changed.
Watch Out for Insider Trading Schemes
If you’re just getting into investing, you’re going to get a lot of offers for instant returns or low to zero risk investment opportunities. You will need to learn early on that there is no such thing as a “zero risk, get rich quick” investment.
If you’re approached with insider trading information, it is important that you not act on it and report it. Despite the temptation, it will only spell trouble. Chances are, any information you receive is already being tracked by regulators.
Investor Resources
If you receive an insider trading tips, you can report them to the SEC. Click here to file a report or complaint. For more financial news and tips for smart investing, check out our blog page!