Today, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a warning about government imposter scams. Fraudsters are impersonating the SEC and its officials, often through social media and text messages, to trick investors.
These scams include soliciting for stock tip scams, advance fee fraud, and other offers, sometimes pretending to help victims recover lost money. Impersonators may also target individuals who have already been scammed, demanding account information, threatening prosecution for non-payment of fines, or offering to recover funds for an advance fee.
The SEC advises the public not to provide any information in communications appearing to be from the SEC until authenticity is verified. Individuals should contact the SEC directly using their personnel locator at 202-551-6000 to confirm the message is legitimate.