Con artists are generally extremely polite, knowing that many of us equate courtesy with personal integrity. Swindlers are also counting on your good manners to keep you from cutting them off. The elderly, and particularly older women, are a frequent target of scam artists. Always seek the advice of a neutral party before investing. Insist on regular written reports and look for signs of excessive or unauthorized trading of your account.
Constant vigilance is a vital part of being an investor.
If you suspect that something is amiss and you get unsatisfactory explanations, call the Securities Division and make a complaint. If you are not investing in a fixed-term security, such as a bond, you should be able to receive your funds within a few days. The sooner you report fraud, the better your chances of recovering some or all of your investments. Con artists often use investment losses to scare you into a second scam. Often, the result is only more losses.