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On October 4, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) — the agency which handles securities arbitration — released a new Investor Alert titled “Public Non-traded REITs — Perform a Careful Review Before Investing.” The purpose of this alert is to aid investors in understanding the risks, benefits, fees and features of non-traded REITs, or real…

We are investigating former Morgan Stanley Smith Barney financial adviser Roger Haigney for possibly misappropriating funds from clients. Mr. Haigney operated out of a branch office in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida but worked with customers in New York and possibly other places. If you’ve lost money because of Mr. Haigney, you can contact us at InvestorLawyers.net…

The North American Securities Administrators Association Inc. and the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an investor alert on September 23, which warned of the risks of self-directed IRAs. According to InvestmentNews.com, this scrutiny by regulators will likely influence the implementation of tougher restrictions on self-directed IRAs by small- to mid-sized broker-dealers. According to Brad Borncamp,…

Together, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and Stanford University’s Center on Longevity have launched the Research Center on the Prevention of Financial Fraud. The new research center will supplement work by the government, research groups and law enforcement to better understand how fraud causes Americans to lose money. Stanford’s Center on Longevity is involved in…

In a press release issued on September 29, 2011, the Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA) announced its securities arbitration ruling against Raymond James Financial Services Inc. (RJFS) and Raymond James & Associates Inc. (RJA). The firms were charged with “unfair and unreasonable commissions on securities transactions.” RJFS and RJA were ordered to pay $1.69 million…

A recent arbitration decision against Fisher Investments is reportedly not the first time JAMS arbitration has heard Fisher Investments complaints. At least two other actions concerning Fisher Investments performance have been filed against the firm in recent years, alleging the company put too much of an investor’s account in equities, which resulted in massive losses…

The investment community has often heard those now-familiar words: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is” when warning against stock broker fraud. Not only is this phrase only partially true, it’s dangerous. Investors who only watch out for the investments that are “too good to be true” are still vulnerable to…

Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch brokerage unit agreed to pay $1 million for supervisory failures that allowed a former broker to use a Merrill Lynch account to run a Ponzi scheme, FINRA said on Tuesday. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), which oversees the U.S. brokerage industry, found that the brokerage failed to have an…

Affinity fraud is nothing new in the investment word. It involves targeting faith-based organizations, professional associations and community service groups. The victims of affinity fraud are tied together through common interests, professions, faith, hobbies and lifestyles. Scammers then use this common ground to establish a relationship with their victims, making stealing much, much easier. Now…

Over the years, computers have somewhat reduced the necessity of brokers. But until recently, dealers maintained their status as the rulers of the market world. However, with quant trading, broker status is being threatened, as well — and its effect on the market has earned a closer look. Mathematicians, who have long been key players…