Commonly Reported Problems

In relation to fraud, these are the 4 most commonly reported problems individual investors face when dealing with potential fraud:

Misrepresentation

Refers to the distortion of facts or omission of information in relation to investments. This can occur when a broker makes untrue statements or uses facts out of context.

Cold-calling

Refers to unsolicited contact using high-pressure tactics. This can occur when a broker contacts an individual investor without their permission.

Unauthorized Trading

Refers to transactions made without the investors knowledge. This can occur when a broker conducts a transaction without the individual investors authorization.

Unsuitability

Refers to the transactions made outside of the investors goals and objectives. This occurs when a broker makes investments outside of an individual investors long-term goals, income, and net worth.

Fraud Protection

As a member of the Retirement Industry Trust Association (RITA), IRA Services Trust Company supports initiatives to reduce fraud against all Americans, particularly senior citizens.

Here are a few suggestions on avoiding fraudulent investments:

Ask questions

Don’t be afraid to ask the person or organization assisting you questions that you can verify were answered truthfully and honestly.

Talk to someone

Even if the seller is registered, you may still want to discuss the investment with family, friends, or a trusted professional.

Research

Make yourself knowledgeable about the different types of fraud and the sort of red flags that may signal fraud.

Take names

Find out who you are really speaking with before you give information out about yourself.

If you have an account manager acting on your behalf, please do not hesitate to contact IRA Services regarding your account or the transactions we have on file. To that end, we urge you to review the following websites for information that can protect you and your accounts from fraudulent investments: U.S. Security and Exchange Commission, North American Securities Administrators Association and RITA’s Senior Fraud Initiative