Promissory notes and Ponzi schemes are the leading products or schemes that are likely to trap investors in 2020, according to the North American Securities Administrators Association.
Filling out the top five likely investor traps are real estate investments, cryptocurrency-related investments and social media/Internet-based investment schemes, NASAA said in a release.
The organization of state and provincial securities regulators in the United States, Canada and Mexico, said its top-five list is based on investor complaints, ongoing investigations and current enforcement trends.
The most common telltale sign of an investment scam, said Christopher W. Gerold, NASAA president and chief of the New Jersey Bureau of Securities, is an offer of guaranteed high returns with no risk, who noted that many of the threats facing investors involve private offerings, which are exempt from federal securities registration requirements and are not sold through public stock exchanges.
A new proposal could end the ban on promoting client reviews in states like California and Connecticut, giving state-registered advisors a level playing field with their SEC-registered peers.
Morningstar research data show improved retirement trajectories for self-directors and allocators placed in managed accounts.
Some in the industry say that more UBS financial advisors this year will be heading for the exits.
The Wall Street giant has blasted data middlemen as digital freeloaders, but tech firms and consumer advocates are pushing back.
Research reveals a 4% year-on-year increase in expenses that one in five Americans, including one-quarter of Gen Xers, say they have not planned for.
Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.
Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.
