Stockbroker fraud is a term that can be used to broadly define the abuse of a customer’s investment portfolio by a stockbroker and/or broker-dealer. Examples are overtrading of the account (churning), overconcentration (purchasing only a few stocks, or stocks all in one financial sector), and the sale of unsuitable investments (non-traded REITs, oil and gas limited partnerships, annuities, Unit Investment Trusts). Large losses do not necessarily prove broker wrongdoing-they could merely be the result of market forces. It can be difficult or almost impossible to tell if you’ve been defrauded unless you consult with an attorney. Here are some warning signs: Your broker fails to return your calls. You don’t understand the transactions on your statements. Your broker fails to disclose important information regarding an investment purchase. Your broker begins trading in high risk and speculative investments. You are paying capital gains taxes when your account value is decreasing. You find transactions on your account statements that you did not previously authorize. As a guideline, if you are retired and have lost more than 15% of your account in a single year or have suffered large losses in a single security, you should have someone review your account to determine if the investments selected by your financial professional are in keeping with your investment objectives.