Florida Investor Protection Program (FIPP) works to safeguard Floridians from becoming victims of investor scams and fraud.

Our goal is to educate Florida’s population about the dangers and prevalence of investor scams.

Below are a series of helpful links compiled from leading non profit organizations to help you protect your financial savings against investor fraud.

Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation has a variety of information online to educate and protect Floridians from financial fraud.
Investor and Consumer Resources from Florida Office of Financial Regulation

FINRA is a not for profit resource that regulates securities firms and stockbrokers. They are solely dedicated to providing unbiased information to Americans on a full range of financial issues. FINRA’s website focuses in part on investor education to protect the public:
Investor Protection from FINRA

Making sure a Financial Professional is properly licensed is a critically important checkpoint for Floridians. For more information, call Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation at 800-848-3792 or go online to FINRA’s BrokerCheck. BrokerCheck, according to FINRA, “is a free online tool to help investors check the professional background of current and former FINRA-registered securities firms and brokers. It should be the first resource investors turn to when choosing whether to do business with a particular broker or brokerage firm.”
FINRA BrokerCheck

NASAA, the North American Securities Administrators Association “is the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection” since its inception in 1919. NASAA has a series of “Investor Alerts” including information about affinity fraud, ponzi schemes, Internet Fraud and Abuse, and more. The following links provide valuable information.
Education and Awareness: The Best Defense Against Fraud

Here is independent, objective advice from NASAA, Ten Tips to Protect Your Nest Egg:
Ten Tips to Protect Your Nest Egg from NASAA

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, an independent agency created by Congress that maintains the stability and confidence of our nation’s financial system by supervising these institutions, talks about identity theft.
When a Criminal’s Cover is Your Identity

The Better Business Bureau is a national organization “that sets and upholds standards for fair and honest business behavior.” BBB’s provide unbiased, objective information and work with both businesses and consumers.
Avoiding Investment Scams from the BBB