You can trust a lot of people and institutions for your investments, but you should do your research before you commit. First, find out if the government regulates the company. If it is, look at the history to see how effective they are at regulating companies and protecting consumers.  Investment firms registered with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) must provide information about their business, which you can use to check with the Better Business Bureau to see if others have had problems in the past. It's also good to talk to friends or co-workers who might have used them in the past about their experience.