When entrusting your money to a brokerage firm, you expect they will treat your investment with proper care and work to grow your savings. However, this is not always the case, as problems like investment fraud are all too common and can result in significant financial losses for investors. If you were the victim of fraud, you could be eligible to recover compensation.
At Meyer Wilson, we have helped countless fraud victims recover compensation from those responsible for their losses. Our team will devote all their time and energy to ensuring you get the money you need. Reach out to us by phone or through our website to schedule a free case evaluation today with one of our investment fraud lawyers serving clients in Seattle, WA.
Types of Investment Fraud Cases We Handle
Investment misconduct can occur in a variety of ways. Over the last 25+ years, our firm has handled a wide range of cases. The most common forms of investment fraud we see include:
- Unauthorized trading
- Broker negligence
- Breach of fiduciary duty
- Asset allocation misconduct
- Failure to supervise
Unauthorized Trading
Investment brokers need to secure client authorization before engaging in any trades with their money. Authorization can be made directly on a trade-by-trade basis, or approval for trades that meet certain criteria can be made via a contract between the investor and their broker.
If your investment broker made trades with your money that you did not authorize, they can be held responsible for any resulting financial losses.
Broker Negligence
Investment brokers must take care when handling the assets of a client. If your broker was negligent and failed to ensure that your money was being wisely invested, an experienced securities fraud attorney can help you recover compensation from them for the losses you sustained.
Breach of Fiduciary Duty
When investing your money with a brokerage firm, you expect that the broker in charge of your investment will take all the steps necessary to ensure the positive growth of your money.
Because investors often entrust a significant portion of their savings with their broker, leaving them vulnerable to potential misconduct, the law places a high level of fiduciary responsibility upon many of these legal professionals.
By law, brokers must conduct thorough reviews of any investments they suggest for their clients. Additionally, they must perform due diligence, weigh the risks, ensure the investment aligns with the client’s investment strategy, and provide their clients with full and accurate information about the investment.
Asset Allocation Misconduct
It’s critical that your financial advisor takes your level of risk tolerance into account when determining how to distribute your investment among different asset classes. One of the main considerations for determining the level of risk a person can take on is their age, along with investment experience and risk tolerance. Some of the asset types your broker may invest your money in include:
- Bonds
- Cash
- Foreign currency
- Real estate
- Stocks
- Natural resources
For the most part, younger investors have a higher risk tolerance than older investors. This is because they have more time to wait for an asset type that has taken a hit to rebound. Because of this, the best investment strategy for these types of investors may be to keep their money in a limited number of asset classes.
Older investors, on the other hand, tend to be more averse to risk and need an approach that is more likely to reduce volatility..
If your broker invested your money among different asset classes without taking your risk tolerance into account, they may have opened themselves up to legal action.
Failure to Supervise
Brokers are not the only ones who can be held responsible for an investor’s loss due to investment fraud. Financial firms are legally bound to provide adequate supervision of the activities of their brokers to ensure they are behaving in a manner that is responsible, ethical, and legal.
If the firm fails to ensure proper oversight, it could be held at fault for any losses sustained by the investor. When working with an experienced investment fraud attorney in Seattle, WA, they can help you pursue compensation from all responsible parties.
We Have Recovered Over
$350 Million for Our Clients Nationwide.
Reasons to Choose Our Firm Over the Competition
Meyer Wilson is one of the nation’s top investment fraud legal firms. Our award-winning team has leveraged our combined experience of over 75 years to secure compensation for our clients of more than $350 million. Some of the main things that set us apart from our competitors include:
- The fact that we keep our caseload small enough to give each of our clients the personalized attention they deserve
- Our use of state-of-the-art technology improves our odds of securing favorable compensation while improving the overall experience of our clients
- The fact that from day one we prepare each case as though it is going to court to ensure we are prepared if a trial becomes necessary while also gaining leverage for settlement negotiations
- Our use of a contingency fee-based payment structure permits us to ensure our clients don’t pay anything for legal services unless they recover damages
Identifying When Investment Fraud Has Occurred
After experiencing significant financial losses to your investment, it can be difficult to determine the cause. While investment fraud may be to blame, other factors, such as other illegal activity, natural market volatility, and unforeseen events, can all cause a loss to your investment.
If you believe that fraud may have played a role, look over the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) checklist of investment fraud red flags. Should you identify items from this list that sound familiar, it may be time to pursue legal action against the liable party with the help of an experienced securities fraud lawyer.
Our lawyers are nationwide leaders in investment fraud cases.
Get in Touch Today With an Experienced Investment Fraud Attorney Serving Clients in Seattle
After sustaining financial losses caused by investment fraud, one of the most important steps you can take to recover the money you deserve is securing the services of an experienced lawyer. At Meyer Wilson, we have handled countless investment fraud cases and are ready to help you pursue compensation.
Contact us today over the phone or through our website to schedule your free initial case review.
Recovering Losses Caused by Investment Misconduct.