Investor Protection

It is the responsibility of the North Dakota Securities Department to enforce North Dakota laws that protect citizens from dishonest investment practices and regulate the people and companies offering investment opportunities. With more than 50,000 individuals and 1200 firms registered in our state, it can be an awesome responsibility.

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is, too good to be true. The Securities Department takes investment fraud very seriously and works diligently to prevent it. We investigate hundreds of complaints every year, and have helped many North Dakotans recover money from fraudulent schemes. We also work with law enforcement agencies to bring promoters of fraud to justice.

If you suspect someone is trying to con you or if you believe any part of a transaction was misrepresented, contact our office to file a complaint. Here are some important facts all buyers and sellers of securities should know:

• Generally, all firms and individuals who want to conduct securities business in the State of North Dakota must be registered with the North Dakota Securities Department.
  
• Not everyone is granted an automatic registration. If the department determines a firm or individual does not have a good business reputation and has had considerable complaints, we will not register them in our state.
  
• Any firm or individual involved in the business of providing investment advice, and who charges a fee for this service, must be registered with the Department.
  
• People are encouraged to contact our Department to verify registration before doing business with firms or individuals. We can also provide any information regarding disciplinary history.
  

See the other topics for your information under the "Enforcement" Link