Category Archives: SEC

Dec. 6, 2018 Testimony Before the Federal Trade CommissionHearing on Competition and Consumer Protection Thank you so much, Scott [Hemphill], for that incredibly kind introduction. It’s a real honor to be here with you—and to be invited to testify before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). I share your commitment to making sure our markets are […]

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Alert to warn investors, including individuals who may receive lump sum payouts from insurance companies and others as a result of damage from the California wildfires, about fraudulent investment scams. Fraudsters often try to use natural disasters, like the recent California wildfires, as […]

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to educate investors about variable life insurance and how it works. This bulletin provides a general description of variable life insurance. The features of each policy may vary by product and by state. What Is Variable Life Insurance? A variable life insurance […]

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to educate investors about variable annuities and how they work. Contents What Is A Variable Annuity?  A variable annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company. It serves as an investment account that may grow on a tax-deferred basis and […]

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Alert to warn investors, including individuals who may receive lump sum payouts from insurance companies and others as a result of damage from recent hurricanes, about fraudulent investment scams. Fraudsters often try to use natural disasters, like Hurricanes Florence or Michael, as a […]

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Office of Customer Education and Outreach warn investors to watch out for false claims about agency actions and endorsements related to digital assets.  Fraudsters may use false claims to lure investors into purchasing digital assets and to artificially raise […]

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, FINRA, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) are issuing this Investor Bulletin to highlight key messages from World Investor Week 2018.    World Investor Week is a global campaign by the International Organization of Securities Commissions, of which the […]

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) and Retail Strategy Task Force (RSTF) warn investors that providing your phone number and email address in response to an online investment promotion may make you a target for fraud. Some investment scams start with a promotion or advertisement, like an intriguing online video or email, […]

Washington D.C. Sept. 26, 2018 Before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment Chairman Huizenga, Ranking Member Maloney, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify before you today about the work of the Division of Investment Management (the “Division”). I […]

Scam artists often exploit “hot” industries to trick investors, including by making false promises of high returns with low risks. The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) and Retail Strategy Task Force are warning investors about these kinds of investment schemes involving marijuana-related companies. OIEA regularly receives complaints about marijuana-related investments, and the […]