fbpx

Investment Fraud Attorneys

Get Help from an Experienced Investment Fraud Attorney

Were You a Victim of Fraud by a Broker or Financial Advisor?

Reach Out to an Experienced Investment Fraud Attorney

Investing comes with a certain amount of risk, but these risks should never come from your financial advisor, stockbroker, or brokerage firm. Unfortunately, though, while many brokers and advisors are honest and hardworking people, some are not. When that is the case, their misconduct or negligence can cause big financial losses for investors who have trusted them with their money. Ultimately, when these individuals and corporations fail to protect their investors from fraud, or intentionally commit fraud against investors, they may be held accountable.

Accountability in investment fraud cases often comes through Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration. FINRA is the largest self-regulatory organization of brokers in the country and is responsible for overseeing broker and brokerage firm negligence and misconduct. Independent arbitrators in the FINRA arbitration forum have the ability to order brokers and financial planners to reimburse investors for their losses.

Also, in some investment fraud situations, claims may be pursued against brokers, brokerage firms and other financial professionals through civil lawsuits in court.

Not Sure Where To Turn?

Our Investment Fraud Lawyer Can Help.

Following a significant investment loss, you may feel upset and discouraged and have no idea where to turn or what to do next. A respected investment fraud lawyer at Wolper Law Firm, P.A. can advise you of your rights and pursue recovery for your investment losses. When we take on your case, we’ll work diligently in seeking maximum compensation for the money you’ve lost.

You turn to your financial advisor or stockbroker for guidance. They are supposed to help you to navigate the financial markets and invest your money in strategies to reach your goals. The problem is that this doesn’t always happen and you lose money. Your investment professional has a legal obligation to know your risks and help you to avoid taking losses. Their job is to give you objective financial advice to navigate challenging market conditions.

These conflicts are known as investment fraud. You are working with what appears to be honest financial professionals. But you find out later on that they looked out for their interests by convincing you to buy things that pay a high commission. These investments are risky and you lost money because of their negligence.

You don’t know what to do or where to go to get the help you need in these situations. An investment fraud attorney can make a difference. We will identify what happened and will go after those that are responsible. We have a 99% success rate and can help you to get back what you lost. Investment professionals have to look out for your best interests first. This means that your financial professionals must buy investment products that meets your needs first. All commissions and fees play a secondary role.

The Wolper Law Firm, P.A. can help. We offer a free consultation to go over your case. You will speak directly with an investment fraud lawyer that will discuss your options. You will know what we can do and how we can help you to go after the fraudsters. Contact us today at 954.406.1231 / 800.931.8452 and get your free consultation with a lawyer for investment fraud.

Investment Fraud Definition

Every registered stockbroker and investment advisor has a fiduciary duty to their clients. This means they are obligated to prioritize the best interests of the investor over their own financial interests. When a broker or advisor fails to do so and instead engages in misconduct or investment fraud or is negligent in handling their clients’ portfolios, they have breached this fiduciary duty and should be held accountable. Our investment fraud attorneys have experience with these complex cases and know the law. We can make sure your interests and rights are protected if you have been the victim of fraud. Investment fraud can take many forms. In addition to fraud by registered and licensed brokers, unlicensed and unscrupulous people may engage in investment fraud. They may even set up fake websites and addresses and promote themselves as qualified investment professionals. Investment fraud in all its forms costs investors in this country billions of dollars annually and is both a civil and criminal issue. The investment fraud definition, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which investigates criminal cases of investment fraud, describes it as the “illegal sale or purported sale of financial instruments. The typical investment fraud schemes are characterized by offers of low- or no-risk investments, guaranteed returns, overly-consistent returns, complex strategies, or unregistered securities.” The following sections list some specific examples of stockbroker fraud and other investment fraud schemes.

What Is an Example of Investment Fraud?

What is an example of investment fraud? There are many different types of investment fraud, but in the big picture, they are all the same thing—a way for you to be cheated out of significant amounts of money because of the greed of a financial advisor or other party. Some of the most common types of investment fraud are:
  • Misrepresentation – Stockbroker misrepresentation occurs when your financial advisor withholds material information or provides you with misleading information in order to impact your investment decision. This could include not disclosing the cost of a commission on a transaction or not adequately informing you about the risks of an investment.
  • Unsuitable recommendations – Brokers should only recommend investment opportunities that align with the investment objectives and risk tolerance of the customer. Any investment that does not align with an investor’s goals, or is outside of the stated risk parameters, may not be suitable and may be evidence of fraud.
  • Late-day trading – This type of fraud involves executing trades after hours but then recording them as having been executed before the market closed that day.
  • Churning – Also commonly known as excessive trading, churning occurs when a broker over-trades in an investor’s account with the purpose of generating commissions for themselves on each transaction.
  • Unauthorized trading – When brokers execute trades in accounts without the permission of the investor, they may be engaging in unauthorized trading, unless the account is a discretionary account or the investor has a margin account that has fallen below balance requirements.
  • Embezzlement – Embezzlers steal or misappropriate funds that have been entrusted to them by the investor.
  • Advance fee schemes – There are endless types of advance fee schemes. They promise large gifts, prizes, trips, and other things of high value in exchange for a smaller fee. The victim loses out when they don’t receive what they thought they were signing up for.
  • Ponzi schemes – One of the most widely known types of investment fraud, Ponzi schemes lure investors in and then repay new investors with the funds of older investors. There is rarely any legitimate business activity with Ponzi schemes, and they always fall apart when the scammer is unable to continue paying investor returns.
  • Hedge fund fraud – Hedge funds are frequently risky, and there are many ways fraud can occur. Fraud in this area generally involves misleading investors in order to get them to invest in the hedge fund.
  • High-yield investment fraud – If it sounds too good it be true, it probably is. High-yield investment programs (HYIP) promise to generate high returns at low risk. This is a red flag that the HYIP is a scam.
  • Cryptocurrency fraud – Cryptocurrency is unregulated by the government. It is a very popular way for scammers to trick investors into sending money, engage in money laundering, bribe people, and even avoid paying taxes.
  • Pyramid schemes – Pyramid schemes work by relying on recruits. The people bringing in new recruits are then paid with the funds brought on by the new recruits. These are very similar to many multi-level marketing schemes and will always fall apart when the fraudster is no longer able to generate enough new recruits to pay their investors.
  • Foreign currency fraud – Foreign currency fraud can include many types of schemes, but they all promise to produce high returns if trading is done in the foreign exchange markets.
  • Social media and internet fraud – Any type of scheme using the internet can be considered internet fraud. Hiding money, embezzlement, and misrepresentation are some of the crimes that constitute internet fraud.

CLIENT REVIEW

“Due to distance and Covid we have never met Matt personally, but we know that he is an honest, wise, and smart person to have on your side. Matt took on a situation where we felt taken advantage of by a firm that sold us an investment which they, contrary to what we were told, did not do due diligence on. We were almost reconciled to the huge loss we were taking due to dishonesty on many levels, our distance from the property, and our lack of knowledge in working with attorneys. We took a chance when we learned Matt was doing a group legal action…and we were able to retrieve a portion of what we had lost. Matt always spoke truth to us. He did not give us “reckless hope.” He was thoughtful and careful, getting consensus from the group, explaining all costs up front, and sending our check expeditiously. We highly recommend him.” – Maria D.

Negligence Can Lead to Investment Losses

Sometimes investment losses aren’t caused by intentional fraud. In some cases, negligence by the broker or advisor is to blame. Some examples of negligence include when brokers don’t perform due diligence and an investment turns out to be a scam, or when they don’t adequately diversify client portfolios to minimize risk and clients lose money, or when they are simply inattentive to their clients’ goals and investment needs and that results in losses. These are just some of the various types of investment fraud and negligence that people fall victim to. If you have suffered losses due to any of the aforementioned types of investment fraud—or another type of misconduct or negligence entirely—contact our knowledgeable investment fraud attorney to discuss your legal options. We may be able to help you recover your losses through arbitration or a lawsuit.
Get Legal Help from Investment Fraud Lawyers With a Reputation for Recovery.

We Have Won Money in Over 99% of Cases We’ve Handled and Recovered Millions for Investors Like You.

We have obtained millions of dollars in settlements and recoveries for investors who have experienced fraud and negligence. You can visit our case results page to see some of the successes we have achieved on behalf of our valued clients. These results exemplify the commitment of our investment fraud lawyers to putting our strong knowledge and experience to work for you. Get personalized service from our experienced investment fraud lawyer today.

How Do You Know If You Have Been a Victim of Fraud?

Pay attention to these possible signs of investment fraud there are several signs of investment fraud. Here are some of the most common:
  • A sudden and unexpected loss in your accounts
  • Trades you don’t recognize or understand
  • Unexpected large gains or losses
  • An overall decline in your accounts over time
  • Excessive transactions that can’t be explained
  • Losses in which other similar investments saw gains

What Should You Do If You Suspect Investment Fraud?

If you believe you’ve been the victim of investment fraud, gather the evidence in a fraud file. This evidence will need to be shown to FINRA arbitrators or the court.

Our investment fraud attorney can also help you understand the extent of the misconduct or negligence based upon the evidence in your file and assist you with the recovery process. Here are the types of information to include in your file:
  • Statements from the accounts that you believe show the suspected fraud
  • Name, contact information, license numbers and other information about the broker, brokerage firm or financial advisor who you believe acted fraudulently
  • Notes about your telephone and/or in-person interactions with investment advisors that include dates, times and what was said, if possible
  • Copies of emails, texts or any other potential written interactions with your broker or advisor
  • A timeline of the events, If you think the fraud occurred over a longer period of time
  • Your credit reports from all three credit reporting agencies if they show any unusual activity
  • A copy of the report if you filed one about the suspected fraud to a police agency
  • Witness statements from family or other witnesses, if any, who were with you when you met with your financial advisor.
Contact Wolper Law Firm, P.A. today to learn how we can assist you with your investment losses due to fraud. Call us at 855.294.1672 to arrange a free consultation with an investor fraud attorney.

Recovering Your Investment Fraud Losses

Learn from Our Investment Fraud Lawyers How to Recoup Your Money

You wanted to save and grow your money for retirement or another important goal. To do so, you turned to a professional broker or advisor for help because you thought you could trust their professional expertise. When you have worked with a financial planning institution, financial advisor, or broker, you might wonder how you became a victim of investment fraud. The problem is that advisors earn a living by making transactions in accounts that generate their commissions. The majority of registered and licensed advisors are ethical and honest. However, as is true in every facet of life, there can be some bad apples among brokers, brokerage companies and financial advisors. Sometimes, brokers may not do their due diligence in researching investments that turn out to be fraudulent and harm investors, or they may even knowingly engage in misconduct to further their own financial interests. If this has happened in your situation, you may be able to hold your broker accountable through FINRA arbitration or another method of accountability. You can find out what legal options are available to you by speaking with one of our investment fraud attorneys at Wolper Law Firm, P.A..

Understanding Investment Fraud and FINRA Arbitration

Arbitration can often be more desirable than litigation, because the process is faster and typically less formal than a courtroom trial. Most often, investment cases that are being arbitrated go to FINRA arbitration. In FINRA arbitration, both sides present evidence to independent arbitrators chosen by the disputing parties. The arbitrators will determine whether an investment advisor’s misconduct was directly or indirectly responsible for investment losses. There may be a single arbitrator or a panel of three arbitrators. Arbitration happens under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved rules. If the arbitrators rule in your favor, you could be awarded compensation for your investment losses as well as for the various ways your life has been negatively impacted by the losses in question.
However, FINRA arbitration is binding. If the decision does not go in your favor, you cannot take your case to court. The Arbitration Process in an Investment Fraud Case.
You can start the process of arbitration by filing a FINRA arbitration complaint against your broker and the firm, asking for full recovery of your investment losses. You and your investment fraud attorney will have the chance to present evidence, including financial statements, witness statements, and other relevant materials, to support your claims. The respondent will then have the opportunity to defend themselves and present their own evidence. Once both parties have been heard, the arbitrator or arbitrators will deliberate and review the case in its entirety to determine whether investment fraud occurred and whether the respondent is liable for your losses. If they are, the arbitrators will also determine how much they should be ordered to repay you for what you’ve been through. From there, the defendant will be required to compensate you within 30 days of the decision’s being issued. When seeking financial restitution, this quick repayment period often makes FINRA arbitration a more attractive option than litigating a case in the courts, which can take much longer. Although FINRA arbitration does not provide the wronged investor with opportunity for appeal if they do not win, it is still the preferred option for financial recovery because of how quickly investors can recoup their money if they win. If you go to court, years may pass before a decision is made, and significantly more time could pass to get through the appeals process.
If you are unsure whether you want to move forward with a FINRA arbitration claim or consider your other legal options, you aren’t alone. Your investment fraud lawyer will closely review your case to determine which path is most likely to produce a favorable outcome for you and your family.  Investment fraud is something that makes it much harder to reach your goals. Contact the Wolper Law Firm, P.A. today at 954.406.1231 / 800.931.8452 if you feel you are the victim of fraud.

Investment Fraud FAQS

Our Investment Fraud Lawyers Address Common Concerns

Finding out that you have been a victim of investment fraud can be devastating, and you likely have many questions about the process of recovering the money you lost and how the investment fraud happened. Below we provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding investment fraud, the FINRA arbitration process and related issues so you can gain peace of mind prior to your consultation.

When you are choosing a lawyer, one of the most important questions to ask is “How do you handle investment fraud?” You want an investment fraud lawyer who is willing and able to take your case to arbitration or to litigation if the situation calls for it. You want an attorney who is not afraid to aggressively take on the corporations and individuals who commit fraud against innocent investors. You want to work with a firm with extensive experience in taking on these cases. Our investment fraud attorneys not only have experience taking cases to arbitration and litigation for investors, we also have numerous years of experience defending high-dollar brokerage firms and investment companies. What this means is that we have an unparalleled perspective about how these companies operate, which serves to benefit our clients because we can often foresee the legal arguments they may make to defend themselves and be prepared to counter them.

FINRA Rule 12206 sets the time-related eligibility requirements for FINRA arbitration claims. Investors have a maximum of six years from the date that the investment fraud occurred to initiate a FINRA arbitration complaint. It is important that investors keep a close eye on their accounts and contact an investment fraud lawyer as soon as they notice inconsistencies. Don’t risk running out of time for initiating a complaint. Reach out to us today.

No, FINRA arbitration is not the only way to recover your funds after losing money due to investment fraud. However, it is often the best way to go about getting your money back. FINRA arbitration decisions are not eligible for appeal, but the benefits often offset this risk. If you were to bring your case to court, not only are decisions appealable, but the entire process can drag on for many years. Even if the judge ultimately decides that you should be repaid, it can be many more years before you are compensated. With FINRA arbitration, the entire complaint process can be settled in as few as eighteen months.

Whether you can sue your stockbroker in court depends on whether you have an arbitration agreement with your brokerage firm. If you do, you will probably have to arbitrate your case with FINRA. If you haven’t signed an arbitration agreement, you may be able to pursue your claim through a civil lawsuit. Once one of our investment fraud lawyers reviews the circumstances of your case, we can advise you about your options for pursuing compensation.

The punishment for investment fraud can be severe, depending on all the circumstances. If found guilty of investment fraud, in addition to paying restitution through arbitration or civil claims, brokers, financial professionals and others who intentionally or even negligently commit fraud may lose their licensing and certifications. They can also face criminal charges and penalties, including jail time. An extreme case is that of Bernie Madoff who defrauded tens of billions of dollars from investors in a Ponzi scheme. Many lost their entire life savings. He was sentenced to 150 years in prison. While most cases and punishments for investment fraud are not this extreme, people who financially defraud others will be held accountable when the evidence against them can be proven. If you were the victim of fraud, let our investment fraud lawyers work to help you get your money back and hold the responsible party accountable.
If you have other questions that weren’t answered on this page and you have yet to schedule a complaint review, you can do so by reaching out to one of our experienced investment fraud lawyers. Call us today at 855.294.1672 to arrange a time to speak with one our attorneys.

Contact an Investment Fraud Attorney at Wolper Law Firm, P.A.

Protect Yourself Before You Invest

If you’ve already lost money due to investment fraud, we may be able to help you recover your losses. Contact our investment fraud attorneys to understand your options. To steer clear of investment fraud in the future, learn how to recognize potentially fraudulent investment offers. We offer a free consultation where you can speak to our team of investment fraud attorneys. You will learn about your options and what we can do for you. We have a 99% success rate and will aggressively fight for you. Our knowledge, experience, and professionalism are what make the difference. Contact us today at 954.406.1231 / 800.931.8452 to get your free consultation.

Client Testimonial

”I had contacted Wolper Law Firm, P.A. to help me recover losses from a former investment firm. I was fortunate to have Matt take on my case. Matt, and his whole legal team, were always pleasant , helpful and prompt. Emails and any concerns I had were handled almost immediately and I received the compensation i needed. I highly recommend Matt and this law firm.” – linda kelderhouse (Google Review)

Attorney Matthew Wolper

Attorney Matthew WolperMatt Wolper is a trial lawyer who focuses exclusively on securities litigation and arbitration. Mr. Wolper has handled hundreds of securities matters nationwide before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), JAMS, and in state and federal court. Mr. Wolper has handled and tried cases involving complex financial products and strategies ranging from traditional stocks and bonds to options, margin and other securities-based lending products, closed/open-end mutual funds, structured products, hedge funds, and penny stocks. [Attorney Bio]

Here are some tips to avoid being a victim of an investment scam:

  • Before committing to an investment, consider whether an opportunity you are being offered sounds too good to be true. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
  • Every investment has some degree of risk. Investments with no risk or very low risk that promise very high returns are probably fraudulent. Walk away.
  • If you are being pressured to make an investment decision quickly, that is another sign of fraud. If an investment is authentic, it will still be there tomorrow. Don’t sign on the dotted line.
  • Overly complicated schemes that are difficult to understand or don’t make sense can also be a sign that someone is trying to lure you into a fraudulent investment scheme.
  • Offerings that are not registered with the SEC aren’t subject to all the laws designed to protect investors. While there are some legitimate unregistered offerings, people committing fraud often use them to carry out investment scams.
  • If your broker won’t provide you with an investment offer in writing or if the written material has typos or a lot of other problems, it may be a scam.
  • Be very suspicious of unsolicited investment offers from anyone, even if it’s a friend or family member. Be even more wary if you are asked to keep the offer a secret.
  • Examine the mailing address of the company offering the investment. If it is a post office box and you can’t verify a physical address, use caution.

Investing and investments are complicated. Unless you regularly and closely review your investment accounts, which many people don’t, you may not even realize you have been the victim of fraud or negligence. Review your accounts on a regular basis to help protect yourself and identify fraud early if it is occurring.

You can further seek to prevent yourself from being a victim by doing your own due diligence before selecting a financial advisor, broker or brokerage firm. Ask advisors about their background. A legitimate professional broker or advisor should be happy to tell you about their credentials and experience. There are a variety of different credentials and licenses for financial professionals and different organizations offering credentials. When you are considering a financial advisor, whether their title is broker, certified financial planner, chartered financial analyst, personal financial specialist, chartered wealth manager or another title, ask them specifically about the tests they have passed and credentials they’ve earned and from what organization.

You can also check credentials of financial professionals for free by visiting FINRA BrokerCheck to learn whether the stockbroker or other investment advisor is registered. You can also review registration and licensing status as well as additional backgrounds of investment professionals, including whether they have been named in court actions or administrative proceedings, at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website. Alternatively, or in addition to that research, check an individual or company’s registration and licensing background with the securities regulator for your state.

We hope that these tips will help you stay safe from investment fraudsters in the future. If you believe you may already have been a victim, call us at 800.931.8452 so you can learn how we can help you.

Reach Out to Our Well-Qualified Investment Fraud Attorneys for Help

Investment fraud in any form is frustrating and anger inducing. When it takes place at the hands of a professional whom you trusted to look out for your investment interests, it is even more so. No one should be defrauded by the intentional or negligent acts of the stockbrokers, brokerage firms or financial advisors that they hired to handle their investments.

When this has happened to you, we will help you seek compensation through arbitration or a legal claim, depending what your situation requires and which would be most beneficial to you and your family. We want to get you all the money you lost because of the fraudulent acts of your advisor or broker, as well as other losses that their misconduct or negligence cost you. In especially egregious cases of investment fraud, investors may be entitled to punitive damages, which are intended to punish wrongdoers so they don’t engage in the same behavior again.

If you believe you have been the victim of investment fraud, you can rely on our well-qualified lawyers to carefully review the evidence in your case and explain your legal options. Reach out to arrange a free consultation with one of our investment fraud lawyers at the Wolper Law Firm, P.A.. We can be reached seven days a week. Call us at 800.931.8452. Our firm handles cases nationwide.