Low-priced securities are often known as “microcap stocks” or “penny stocks.” While these securities can be legitimate investments, they’re also high-risk and should be approached with caution by the average investor.
View number of cases and arbitrators per hearing location through the previous month.
View frequently asked questions related to portfolio margining under FINRA Rule 4210.
Shell companies—companies that have no or nominal business operations or non-cash assets for an extended period of time—can be used for legitimate purposes. However, they can also be used by fraudsters as vehicles for stock manipulation. Learn the signs of this type of fraud and how to protect yourself.
The ways in which people communicate have changed with advancements in technology, and so have the tactics of “cold calling” boiler rooms. Today’s boiler rooms go beyond the telephone to contact potential investors, including pitching through messaging apps and social media. Regardless of the method of contact, the scammer’s goal and many of the red flags are the same.
FINRA has observed unusual price activity after the IPOs of certain small-cap issuers with operations outside the U.S. Regulators suspect some of these IPOs might have been manipulated in a ramp-and-dump scheme. If you’re solicited to invest in a newly issued small-cap stock, know the warning signs and take precautions.
In a pump-and-dump scheme, fraudsters accumulate stock, spread positive—but false—information to “pump” up the price, then eventually “dump” their shares, often causing unsuspecting investors to lose money when the stock price then sharply declines. Learn how to recognize and protect yourself against pump-and-dump schemes.
Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer payment system that uses its own currency, called bitcoin, to transact business around the world. Bitcoins are not issued by banks or governments—indeed, the bitcoin platform was designed to offer an alternative to national currencies, like the dollar, and commodity-based currencies such as gold or silver coins.
To ensure a fair, balanced, inclusive market where everyone can invest with confidence, we require individuals and firms who wish to conduct business with the investing public to achieve and maintain certification as members of FINRA. FINRA-certified brokers have registered and undergone stringent Qualification Exams and are required to complete ongoing Continuing Education (CE) programs each year to ensure industry standards and practices are maintained.
FINRA is here to help keep investors and their investments safe. To ensure this protection, we enact rules and publish guidance for securities firms and brokers. We involve a number of interested parties in rulemaking deliberations so that broker-dealers and investors can have confidence they are collaborating on a level playing field. Our relationship to these participants, as well as the SEC, puts us in the unique position to guard the integrity of the market
