Investor "Cold-calling" is a fraudulent practice where by an entity disguises itself as a brokerage firm or an asset management firm and approaches potential investors via non face-to-face channels, such as by phone, fax, and emails, in order to solicit investment in securities or financial products.
Typically, a "cold caller" makes unsolicited calls to potential investors, cajoles them into deciding to purchase certain securities, and then, becomes unavailable for contact after the investor sends the money for that purchase. As a result, the investors cannot obtain the securities although they made the payment, and they also cannot get back the money they paid. Investors need to be more careful and vigilant, as cold callers have been using more varied and more sophisticated tactics. (For example, some cold callers execute transactions properly and make profits for investors at first. Then, they solicit bigger transaction and make the investors transfer the money for it. After that, the cold callers disappear.)
In most countries, a person is required to be registered with or licensed by the national regulatory body before conducting solicitation of securities transactions. However, cold-callers do not have such registration or licenses. One of the characteristics of cold callers is that it is extremely difficult to discover their whereabouts. Many cold callers indicate their office locations on their websites (or documents sent to investors), but they rarely operate at that location. Apparently, cold callers intentionally hide their whereabouts, so that they can avoid being visited by the investors they approach. Notably, it is very typical that cold callers claim that they are located in a country that is different from the location of the prospective victim. For example, there are many cases in which cold callers that have approached American or European investors and claim to have an office located in Japan (at a building in Tokyo, for instance.)
Investors should be very careful and vigilant about conducting business with these entities, potentially opting against conducting any transactions via these entities. Recognizing the need for cooperation among securities regulators in order to combat cold calling, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) - the international body consisted of securities regulators around the world - publicized the following statement for investors alert on cold calling in February 2002:
PRESS RELEASE
An IOSCO Technical Committee Release:
"Cold Calling" - Investor Alert
1 February 2002
The Technical Committee of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) today issued the following Investor Alert: There has been an upsurge in cold calling activities in some countries. "Cold calling" refers to the practice where a person makes unsolicited calls to a potential investor seeking to sell them securities during the call or in the future. Generally speaking, a person requires some form of regulatory authorisation or approval in the country in which the investor resides in order to engage in a securities business. Cold calling organizations may not have those approvals and may be involved in illegal investment schemes in which investors lose money. The securities they seek to sell can be in small, unknown companies that are highly risky or are sometimes part of an illegal scheme. Even if the cold caller is licensed and is offering listed securities, high-pressure tactics or other inappropriate conduct may be used to secure a sale. Therefore, investors should not make an investment solely on the basis of a cold call. At a minimum, before committing any money, investors should check the professional register of licensed securities dealers, investment advisers and their representatives in the jurisdiction of their domicile and the jurisdiction where the cold caller claims to operate. Investors also should be extremely sceptical if a cold caller promises spectacular returns or "guaranteed" profits. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In issuing this Investor Alert, Mr David Brown, Chairman of the IOSCO Technical Committee, said: "By using high pressure selling tactics and promising high returns on share the cold caller attempts to induce an investor to often send large amounts of money to a bank account abroad. In return the investor is promised shares or other securities. Cold callers may not be licensed to deal in securities in the jurisdictions in which they operate or in the jurisdiction into which they cold call. Cold calling firms use constant and high pressure sales tactics, often have websites and glossy brochures and operate from virtual offices, using phone and mail forwarding services in a jurisdiction in which they claim to have an office. Before investing on the basis of a cold call, investors should:
- Check with the securities regulator (*) in their jurisdiction and the jurisdiction in which the cold caller claims to operate;
- Independently research the investment; and
- Consider getting advice from a licensed or registered professional."
- *Contact details of relevant securities regulators are available at www.iosco.org
- For further information on this matter contact: Mr Philippe Richard Secretary General of IOSCO Tel: +34 91 417 5549 Fax: +34 91 555 9368 E-mail: mail@oicv.iosco.org
Generally speaking, an entity is required to have some form of authorization by the regulators in the country where the investors that it would solicit reside, in order to conduct financial/securities business. There is a possibility that cold callers do not have such authorization and they are involved in illegal activities by which investors lose their money.
Therefore, investors should not make an investment solely on the basis of "cold calls." Before making an investment decision and paying money, investors should, at the very least, check whether the entities are given registration and/or authorization as securities dealers, investment advisers, etc., by the regulators in the jurisdictions where the investors reside and the entities claim to operate. Investors also should make serious inquiries into the legitimacy of the entity if the entity promises spectacular returns or "guaranteed" profits.
The IOSCO Asian Pacific Regional Committee (APRC) also announced a press release (PDF:95KB) in February, 2002. The APRC members, including the FSA, expressed their intension to enhance cooperation, mutual assistance and information-sharing to detect illegal activities, as well as to publicize the names of unlicensed/unregistered entities, in order to prevent investors from becoming victims by fraudulent activities.
Online Threat Alerts Security Tips
Pay the safest way
Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.
Guard your personal information
In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.
Be careful of the information you share
Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with
Know who you’re dealing with
Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.
Check your accounts
Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.
Don’t believe promises of easy money
If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.
Do not open email from people you don’t know
If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.
Think before you click
If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.
Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond
If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.
Be careful with links and new website addresses
Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.
Secure your personal information
Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.
Stay informed on the latest cyber threats
Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.
Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are critical to online security.
Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs
Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.
Update the operating systems on your electronic devices
Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.
What if You Got Scammed?
Stop Contact With The Scammer
Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.
Secure Your Finances
- Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
- Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
Check Your Computer
If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.
Change Your Account Passwords
Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.
Report The Scam
Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.
Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:
- Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
- Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
- Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.
How To Recognize a Phishing Scam
Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.
Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:
Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might
- say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
- claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
- say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
- include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
- want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
- say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
- offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real
About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)
Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.
By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.
With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.
Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.
Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).