WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 29, 2008) – The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) today announced a new outreach program that provides law enforcement with resources and information to help investigate public complaints about investment fraud.
Designed for use by law enforcement officers and district attorneys, the Law Enforcement Outreach Program features a series of resources pertaining to financial instruments (“securities”) that are commonly used in schemes to defraud investors. The program offers training for law enforcement who field complaints or questions from investors who believe they have been defrauded.
“We recognize the importance of training law enforcement officers and prosecutors how to approach securities fraud, a crime that is often difficult to detect or understand,” said Karen Tyler, NASAA President and North Dakota Securities Commissioner. “This program is designed to assist law enforcement professionals in identifying securities fraud and addressing investor complaints. Through this outreach effort, we hope to enhance the strong working relationship between local law enforcement and state securities regulators,” Tyler said.
NASAA’s Law Enforcement Outreach Program offers resources to familiarize the law enforcement community with the range of financial products that are defined as “securities” under the law. The resources include a “Securities 101” handbook and other training and presentation materials on how to spot investment fraud.
The program was produced by NASAA’s Investor Education Coordination Project Group and has been endorsed by the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).
NASAA is the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection. Its membership consists of the securities administrators in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the provinces and territories of Canada, and Mexico.
For more information:
Bob Webster, Director of Communications
Melinda Semadeni, Investor Education Manager
202-737-0900
