Many people think that they will never experience investment fraud. However, anyone might realize they have fallen prey to a fake investment. When this happens, it is important for people to know what they can do to report the situation.
It is a good idea for people to report the scam to different agencies. The FINRA Investor Education Foundation says that it is a good idea for people to speak to members of law enforcement and to representatives of the Federal Trade Commission. People may also want to speak to regulatory agencies. Notifying all these different agencies ensures that law enforcement officials can begin an investigation.
Document the situation
It is a good idea for people to collect all of their documentation about the false investment opportunity. They may want to put together a timeline that shows all of the events related to the fraud. Additionally, people should typically compile their emails about the scam and their notes from all of the phone conversations. If people have contact information for the people conducting the scam, they should also make sure they create a list of the telephone numbers, email addresses and websites. Once people file a police report, it is a good idea for them to include that document in their fraud file. Additionally, people may sometimes have evidence of the fraud. It is important to include this documentation as well.
File the report
People may wonder what kind of information they need to submit when they file their reports. According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, people should submit all of the documentation they collected about the scam. It is also important for people to describe the events surrounding the investment fraud as clearly as possible. Most of the time, people have the option to file their reports anonymously. If they choose to include their name, people should generally include their full contact information.