The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has published a best practices guide for investors that describes common investor problems and how they can be avoided. These are the most common complaints FINRA’s Investor Complaint Center receives, and recommendations for avoiding them.
1. Misrepresentation. Misrepresentation is an untrue statement or omission of material fact that a broker makes purposefully relating to an investment. This may happen with any security, but is more common with low-priced, speculative securities because they are riskier.