What Government Database List All Registered Financial Advisors In Your Area?

Many financial scams involve unlicensed individuals selling unregistered investments—ranging from stocks, bonds, and oil or gas deals to fictitious instruments, such as prime bank investments. That'due south why it is particularly of import to "Enquire and Check" about investments and investment professionals before you invest. Regardless of your trust or ties, or prior dealings with the professional, do your homework.

Check Out the Seller

If a salesperson is trying to sell you an investment, bank check them out by following these steps.

Step 1: Inquire "Are you licensed to sell me this investment?"

Legitimate investment professionals—including registered financial professionals (too known as registered representatives), investment advisers and insurance agents—must be licensed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Potency (FINRA), the Securities and Commutation Commission (SEC) or your state securities or insurance regulator before they tin sell you annihilation. If they say they aren't licensed, say adept adieu—and don't purchase.

Step 2: Check.

If they say they are licensed, check them out as follows:

If They Say They Are a ...	Expect Here	Helpful Hints
Registered Financial Professional person	Visit FINRA BrokerCheck or call FINRA at (800) 289-9999. Also contact your state securities regulator. Check SEC Action Lookup tool for formal actions that the SEC has brought against individuals.	If you lot observe the individual on BrokerCheck, click the "More Details" button below their name to view their summary report. The summary report provides information on the private's employment history, qualifications, disclosure events and more. You tin also download a detailed written report on the individual. To interpret what you find, see FINRA BrokerCheck Tips beneath. Use both FINRA BrokerCheck and contact your state. At that place'southward helpful information in both places.
Investment Adviser	Visit FINRA BrokerCheck or call FINRA at (800) 289-9999. Or, visit the SEC'southward Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website. As well, contact your state securities regulator. Cheque SEC Action Lookup tool for formal actions that the SEC has brought against individuals.	If yous find the private on BrokerCheck, click the "More than Details" button below their name to view their summary report. The summary report provides information on the individual'south employment history, qualifications, disclosure events and more than. You can as well download a detailed report on the private. To interpret what you lot find, see FINRA BrokerCheck Tips beneath. If you find the firm on IAPD, click on its name to view its Form ADV (the investment adviser registration form). For disciplinary data most the firm, coil to the bottom of the page, and click "Detail 11—Disclosure." If yous find the individual on IAPD, click their name and click this button in the upper right side of the screen: This will give you information on the private'due south employment history, qualifications, disclosure events and more.
Insurance Agent	Contact your land's insurance commission—to find yours, visit the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or phone call (866) 470-6242.	Requirements and information available vary by state. Be aware that "captive" agents can sell merely the policies and products their company offers. Independent insurance agents typically represent multiple companies.

FINRA BrokerCheck Tips

Hither are some helpful tips when checking out a salesperson using FINRA BrokerCheck:

How to search BrokerCheck: You lot may search for a person by proper name, CRD/SEC Number, employing house or nothing code.

If your Search returns as well many results: You can narrow the search results you get by adding one or more of the search criteria noted above.

If you don't notice the person in FINRA BrokerCheck (your search comes back as "No Search Results"), it tin mean:

The person's name is misspelled. You tin can refine your search by inbound just part of the person'southward proper noun.
The private is not included in BrokerCheck or the Securities and Substitution Commission's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database because he or she:
- is not currently registered with FINRA or a country securities regulator, or has not been so registered within the terminal 10 years; or
- has non been registered with FINRA or a state securities regulator within the concluding 10 years and either:
  - is non the subject of a final regulatory action;
  - has non been convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to certain crimes;
  - has not been subject to a civil injunction involving investment-related activity or been found in a civil courtroom to accept been involved in a violation of investment-related statutes or regulations; or
  - has not been named every bit a respondent or defendant in an arbitration or civil litigation in which he or she was alleged to have committed a sales practice violation, and which resulted in an award or civil judgment against the private.
The investment adviser firm is not inside scope for the Securities and Exchange Commission'due south Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database considering the firm is not currently registered with the SEC and/or a land securities regulator or been and so registered inside the last 10 years.

If you lot are even so non able to discover the person you're searching for, please call the FINRA BrokerCheck Hotline at (800) 289-9999 and speak with a representative.

Check Out the Investment: Is It Registered with the SEC?

Take these steps to cheque whether a recommended investment is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC):

Footstep ane: Enquire the person offering the investment, "Is this investment registered with the SEC?"

If the answer is no, ask why the investment is non registered. Not all securities offerings must be registered with the SEC—such every bit those issued past municipal, state and federal governments. The SEC also provides exemptions for certain intrastate offerings and small public and individual offerings under a dominion known as Regulation D. For more information, read the SEC'southward Microcap Stock: A Guide for Investors.

Footstep 2: If yes, then use the chart beneath to assistance y'all check that this is in fact the case.

Where to Check	What You Get	Helpful Hints
SEC—EDGAR Company Search Call the SEC's Role of Investor Education and Advocacy toll-gratis at (800) SEC-0330 if you accept problem using EDGAR or have questions almost a company or investment.	Costless public access to corporate information, including registration statements, prospectuses, annual reports with audited financial statements on Class 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Information about recent corporate events reported on Form 8-G. Confirmation of whether a company is using an exemption under Regulation D.	Read the SEC's tips for researching investments using EDGAR and other tools. Be alert to changes in the company's name and trading symbol, reported through SEC Form eight-One thousand. Bank check if the company is filing electric current reports past looking for a 10-Yard written report within the by year.
Your State Securities Regulator	Information most the investment across registration condition, such as whether a promotion appears in violation of state securities law.	Enquire if your land regulator is enlightened of any bug associated with the company or the type of investment. You tin also contact the North American Securities Administrators Clan at (202) 737-0900.

Where to Check

What You Get

Helpful Hints

SEC—EDGAR Company Search

Call the SEC's Role of Investor Education and Advocacy toll-gratis at (800) SEC-0330 if you accept problem using EDGAR or have questions almost a company or investment.

Costless public access to corporate information, including registration statements, prospectuses, annual reports with audited financial statements on Class 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
Information about recent corporate events reported on Form 8-G.
Confirmation of whether a company is using an exemption under Regulation D.

Read the SEC's tips for researching investments using EDGAR and other tools.
Be alert to changes in the company's name and trading symbol, reported through SEC Form eight-One thousand.
Bank check if the company is filing electric current reports past looking for a 10-Yard written report within the by year.

Your State Securities Regulator

Information most the investment across registration condition, such as whether a promotion appears in violation of state securities law.

Enquire if your land regulator is enlightened of any bug associated with the company or the type of investment.
You tin also contact the North American Securities Administrators Clan at (202) 737-0900.

Go along in mind that registration with the SEC does not guarantee that an investment will be a good one or immune to fraud. Likewise, lack of registration does not mean the investment lacks legitimacy. The critical deviation is the farthermost level of risk yous presume when you invest in a visitor well-nigh which little or no data is publicly available. SEC registration carries a number of advantages for investors, including disclosure of financial and other information that can help investors assess whether to invest in a company'due south securities.

To check out the registration of the following types of investments, follow these steps:

Mutual Funds

Visit the SEC's EDGAR Mutual Fund Search. If yous detect the mutual fund there, then it is registered with the SEC.

Variable Annuities

Variable Insurance Products

Visit the SEC's EDGAR Variable Insurance Product Search. If you lot find your variable annuity or other insurance product, then information technology is registered with the SEC.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

Substitution-Traded Notes (ETNs)

Airtight-end Funds

Visit FINRA Market Data. Click on the link that says Company Data in the far left cavalcade to search for your investment. If you discover the ETF, ETN or closed-end fund on Marketplace Data, it is registered with the SEC.