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Find any page or article on CheckFirst as well as news releases, investor alerts, enforcement hearings, decisions and orders from the Alberta Securities Commission website.

Investing basics blog

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  • Investor protections
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  • Types of investment scams

What investors can learn from the BG Wealth Sharing scam

The BG Wealth Sharing scam did more than take money from its victims; it used trust, personal relationships and community connections to expand and draw in new victims. The impacts were significant: they affected the financial security of many Albertans and damaged trust among friends, families and communities. Understanding how the scam operated can help investors recognize similar warning signs…
senior man shaking hand with financial advisor
  • Investor protections
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  • Seniors
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  • Types of investment scams

Seniors Month: Protecting older adults from investment scams

June is Seniors Month in Canada, a time to celebrate and recognize the important role older adults play in our families and communities. It’s also an opportunity to share more information about how to help protect the seniors in our lives from increasingly sophisticated investment scams. Unprompted phone calls or texts from someone claiming to be a legitimate investment advisor…
person holding a phone and in a group chat that may be a scam
  • Investing basics
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  • Investor protections
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  • Types of investment scams

Ramp-and-dump scams: How they work and how to spot them before you invest

Fraudsters are getting bolder and more sophisticated. Across Canada, regulators are seeing a surge in ramp‑and‑dump scams, a new twist on pump-and-dump scams. In the end, scammers walk away with profits, and everyday investors are left with losses. If you use messaging apps like WhatsApp, Discord or Telegram, or spend time on platforms such as Instagram or Facebook, you may…
green sprouts growing out from coins
  • Finances
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  • Investing basics

This Spring, Review Your Investments

Spring often inspires us to start fresh. We clear winter gear out of closets, sweep out the garage, grease up bicycle chains and start planning our gardens. As you take on these tasks with a jump in your step, be sure to dust off your finances—they deserve a seasonal reset too. Whether you are brand new to investing or have…
female investor receiving a suspicious call
  • Investing basics
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  • Investor protections
    • /
  • Types of investment scams

What Fraud Prevention Month means for Alberta investors

It often starts in a way that feels harmless. A quick message from a “friend.” A direct message that looks professional and familiar. A post from what looks like a legitimate firm. The opportunity being presented sounds safe, and the returns seem steady, but then the pressure starts, and there is a sense of urgency to act now or miss…
young investor sitting at home looking at her mobile investment app and hovering over the invest button on screen
  • Finances
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  • Investing basics

When you invest, do you know how it’s taxed?

Every spring, as Canadians file their taxes and returns, or when balances owing are issued, many people take a closer look at where their money is going. That’s when familiar questions pop up: Why do I owe tax on some investments and not others? Why does investment income show up differently from employment income? The short answer is: your income,…

What investors can learn from the BG Wealth Sharing scam
What investors can learn from the BG Wealth Sharing scam

ASC announcements
ASC announcements

Meet us in the community
Meet us in the community

Find any page or article on CheckFirst as well as news releases, investor alerts, enforcement hearings, decisions and orders from the Alberta Securities Commission website.