Founded in 1934, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States government which is responsible for enforcing the federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry and the country's security markets. The SEC does not have the authority to get your money back for you. The SEC can only proceed with enforcement action against individuals or companies who have violated provisions of the Securities Act. If you have lost money due to a violation of securities law, you should contact a law firm that devotes its practice to representing investors to determine what options are available to you.