by Melanie Waddell

NASAA recently released its list of the top scams con artists use to trap unwary, or merely desperate, investors during these volatile economic times

Advisors and investors beware: Even though Bernie Madoff is gone, economic uncertainty and volatile stock markets still breed con artists itching to trap the unwary or merely desperate.

During turbulent economic times like we’re currently facing, “con artists follow the news and seek ways to exploit the headlines to their advantage while leaving investors holding an empty bag,” says David Massey, president of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and North Carolina deputy securities administrator.

To help advisors alert their clients of the latest scams, NASAA recently released its listing of the Top 10 financial products and practices: five of each.

“Promoters often offer investors an opportunity to get in on the ‘ground floor’ of new technology or ideas to help others and make a great economic return,” says Massey. “Unsuspecting investors can be lured into these schemes, especially if they sound familiar. These offerings require careful research and a strong reminder that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true, nor will it be profitable to anyone but the promoter.”

Read on for more details about these scams du jour.  Top 10 Financial Scams: Products and Practices

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