Investment Fraud Protection Bureau

Under the federal securities laws, only persons who are accredited investors may participate in certain securities offerings. One reason these offerings are limited to accredited investors is to ensure that all participating investors are financially sophisticated and able to fend for themselves or sustain the risk of loss, thus rendering unnecessary the protections that come from a registered offering.

Although false statements relating to coronavirus may be about any company, microcap stocks may be particularly vulnerable to fraudulent investment schemes, including coronavirus-related scams. Microcap stocks are low-priced stocks issued by the smallest of companies. There is often limited publicly-available information about microcap companies’ management, products, services, and finances. This can make it easier for fraudsters to spread false information about the compa...ny and to profit at the expense of unsuspecting investors. For example, in a pump-and-dump scheme, promoters pump up, or increase, the stock price of a company by spreading positive, but often false, rumors. These rumors cause many investors to purchase the stock. Then the promoters or others working with them quickly dump their own shares before the hype ends. Typically, after the promoters profit from their sales, the stock price drops and the remaining investors lose most of their money.

We currently have available for purchase an In-Depth Transparency Report on RideBidz now Sovran Medicinals Inc. If you would like to access the Transparency Report Call (424) 271-4345 or email [email protected]

We currently have available for purchase an In-Depth Transparency Report on TKO Farms. TKO Farms, Inc was opened in January 2017 in the State of Wyoming and carries on business from its address in Tustin, California. TKO Farms harvests Soursop fruit and trees in Belize. Three members of the management team have worked together in other businesses over the years, and several of their past ventures have been closed by the SEC or by state agencies. If you would like to access the Transparency Report Call (424) 271-4345 or email [email protected]

Many Investors Falsely Assume their Self Directed IRA Custodian is Required to Conduct Due Diligence Investigations Investment research is NOT the function of an IRA custodian. The responsibility for researching alternative investments lies with the individual account holder, and performing due diligence properly can mean the difference between investment success or a complete financial loss. Ways to Avoid Fraud with Self-Directed IRAs Per the SEC Investor Alert: Self-Direc...ted IRAs and the Risk of Fraud Verify the information in self-directed IRA account statements. Alternative investments may be illiquid and difficult to value. As a result, self-directed IRA custodians often list the value of the investment as the original purchase price, the original purchase price plus returns reported by the promoter, or a price provided by the promoter. If possible, take steps to independently verify informationsuch as prices and asset valuesprovided in account statements. Avoid unsolicited investment offers. Investors should exercise extreme caution before investing in any unsolicited investment offer that promotes the use of a self-directed IRA. Fraudsters may attempt to lure investors into transferring money from traditional IRAs and other retirement accounts into new self-directed IRAs. Ask questions. Always ask if the person offering the investment is registered or licensed and if the investment itself is registered. Then check out the answers with an unbiased source, such as the SEC or your state securities regulator. The SEC has a short publication called Ask Questions that discusses many of the other questions investors should ask of anyone who wants them to make an investment, including about the background and history of the promoter. Please take a look at it before making any investment decisions. Be wary of guaranteed returns. Every investment carries some degree of risk, and the level of risk typically correlates with the return an investor can expect to receive. Lower risks generally correspond to lower yields (or returns). By contrast, higher yields typically involve higher risk. Fraudsters often spend a lot of time trying to convince investors that extremely high returns are low risk by calling them guaranteed or can’t miss opportunities. Be extremely wary of such claims. High returns typically represent potential rewards for investors who are willing and financially able to take big risks. Consult a professional. For investment opportunities like alternative assets in self-directed IRAs, investors should consider getting a second opinion from an unbiased third party. This is especially important if an investor is opening or creating a new account outside a traditional financial institution or well-recognized broker-dealer.

Explanation of what pre-investment due diligence is. This is most important in unregulated alternative investments where an accreedited investor is responsible for this research.