Image
Check before you invest

Check before you invest

Protect yourself from fraud

Thinking of investing your money? It’s important to always check the registration of any person or business trying to sell you an investment or give you financial advice. Checking registration is a quick and easy step that can help you protect your money and avoid fraudulent people or companies.

Check before you invest

It’s simple: Click the button below and type the name of the company or person you’re looking to invest with to see if they are registered to sell investments or give financial advice. If you don’t see their name on the Canadian Securities Administrator’s national database, be wary about trusting them with your money.

Did you know? The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) administers and enforces compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act (Ontario) and the Commodity Futures Act (Ontario). Specifically, we work to protect investors, foster fair and efficient markets, and contribute to the stability of the financial system by making and monitoring compliance with rules governing the securities industry in Ontario.

Warning signs of fraud

Margaret believed in their promises. “Big returns, no risk,” that’s what they promised. Losing everything isn’t a joke.*

March is fraud prevention month. One of the ways you can avoid investment fraud is to understand the warning signs. Here are red flags to watch for:

  • You are promised high returns with little or no risk
  • You get a hot tip or insider information
  • You feel pressured to buy
  • They’re not registered to sell investments
Warning Signs of Fraud Warning Signs of Fraud

Multilingual investor resources

InvestingIntroduction.ca is a website intended to be a starting point for new investors, including people who are new to Canada. The information on the site is available in 22 languages and can help you make more informed investment decisions and help you better protect your money.

If you need to contact the Ontario Securities Commission, you can contact us in other languages.

Multilingual investor resources

Get smarter about crypto

Jeremy didn’t want to miss out. Crypto seemed like the obvious decision. He missed the warning signs and lost big.* Crypto fraud is increasing. Learn the red flags of crypto.

GetSmarterAboutCrypto.ca has important information on many crypto topics including breaking down the jargon, rules and regulations, and crypto fraud scenarios. To help you make informed investment decisions, visit our website.

All investments have some level of risk, and crypto assets are no different. There are hundreds of crypto asset trading platforms to choose from. Always work with a registered crypto asset trading platform.

View the list of crypto asset trading platforms that are registered in Ontario.

Get smarter about crypto

Investor warnings and alerts

Chao was eager to invest. He sent his money, trusting the person on the other end. He missed the signs.*

At the OSC, we continuously issue investor alerts and warnings about possible harmful or illegal activity in progress. We also maintain a list of companies or individuals performing activities that may pose a risk to investors. Bookmarking this link and checking on it routinely can help you avoid fraudulent companies or people.

Investor warnings and alerts

Contact us to report fraud

If you think you may be the victim of investment fraud, please contact the OSC:

You can also contact your local police or call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

Contact us to report fraud

*Campaign uses stock images posed by models. Stories on this page are fictional but based on true events reported to the Ontario Securities Commission.