Personal Finance

Imposter scams can take many forms, and there are new variants every day. In investment-related imposter schemes, a common thread is that scammers misuse the name of real registered investment professionals or firms to create the appearance of legitimacy. Imposter schemes rely on a tactic known as source credibility—building trust by claiming to be properly registered and employed by a well-known firm—and they can be alarmingly convincing.

Below are some of the imposter tactics scammers have used to target investors and tips to protect against imposter scams.

While FINRA will never ask you for money, there are scammers who might try to convince you otherwise. These financial fraudsters pose as regulators, requesting fees to transfer funds or offering bogus investment “guarantees” that are designed to steal your money.

FINRA has adopted significant changes to its margin rule with potential impacts on active investors. If you currently engage in or are considering an active investment strategy, be sure to understand what's changing and how this will affect you. 

Brokerage firm customer account takeover incidents are on the rise, according to FINRA, which has seen a notable increase in this type of fraud. As this threat grows more sophisticated and frequent, understanding how these cybercrimes occur and taking proactive steps to secure your accounts has never been more important. 

Many financial firms today offer both brokerage and investment advisory services. If a firm provides both types of services, you might be able to choose between having a brokerage account, an advisory account or both.

Whether you’re opening a new account or are considering converting an existing account from one account type to another, be sure you understand the differences in the services provided and fees involved. Ask questions before deciding which type of account will best help you achieve your financial goals.

Most mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) pool money from many investors and professionally invest it directly in a variety of assets based on the specific fund’s investment description. Funds of funds (FoFs), however, invest in other funds rather than investing in individual assets.

Losing a spouse is an extremely stressful life event, and that stress can be compounded by the many financial questions you might face. How you’ll support yourself, what benefits you can claim and whether you should adjust your investment strategies are just some of the choices you might need to make.

Making major financial decisions while also dealing with grief can be overwhelming. Here are some tips that can help you better navigate this difficult journey.

When evaluating which investments to add to or subtract from your portfolio, one factor that might influence your decision is whether a particular stock, bond or fund seems like a good value. But there are many ways to define the value of an investment, and these can vary based on the type of investment product you’re considering.

Here are some common methods of measuring value:

At one time, U.S. investors had limited opportunities to invest in companies that were based overseas. But today international investing is common, with investors buying stakes in firms across most of the world, either directly or through mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The chance to invest in formerly inaccessible developing markets offers fresh opportunities as well as risks.