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 Investor Protection 

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           Our 28th Year of Client Service!

Every year, investors are bilked out of millions of dollars because they establish relationships with unscrupulous individuals and firms. The fraudulent operators may present themselves as Brokers, Financial Planners, Accountants, Lawyers, or Investment Advisors... some may even be legally registered for those titles but are behaving in unethical or illegal manners. 

Your best protection is to be a knowledgeable consumer. Do this by checking the background and history of any investment firm or investment professional you're planning to work with [see table below]. Ask lots of questions [see examples below], and be a comparison shopper by talking to more than one provider before making your decision. If you have doubts about a provider, trust your instincts and look elsewhere.

To verify a provider's legal Registration, inquire about a provider's disciplinary history, or discuss dispute arbitration procedures, contact one of these Regulators...

INVESTMENT INDUSTRY REGULATORS

REGULATOR

JURISDICTION

PHONE NUMBER
U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Consumer Info Line) Regulates Stock Exchanges, the OTC Markets, Security Issuers, Mutual Funds, and Investment Advisors with assets over $100 million (800) 732 - 0330
U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Investment Advisor Disclosure Website) Full text "Form ADV" filings of all Federally-registered Investment Advisors  SEC Investment Advisor Public Disclosure Site
National Association of Securities Dealers Regulates Broker/Dealer Firms and Stockbrokers Nationwide (800) 289 - 9999
Nevada Secretary of State -- Securities Division -- Investment Advisors Regulates Nevada Broker/Dealers, Investment Advisors with assets less than $100 million, Security Issuers (800) 758 - 6440
Illinois Secretary of State -- Securities Department -- Investment Advisors Regulates Illinois Broker/Dealers, Investment Advisors with assets less than $100 million, Security Issuers (800) 628 - 7937

 

Consider asking these questions when you talk to an investment services provider...

What licenses or registrations do you hold? Which government agency supervises those?
Are there any lawsuits, bankruptcies or regulatory investigations pending against you or your firm? Have you or your firm been the subject of such proceedings in the past?
How long have you and your firm been in the investment business? What is your education and training for performing the investment work you propose?
How are you compensated? Do you earn commissions, fees, or "soft dollar" concessions... or a combination of those? Do all your clients pay the same rate of commissions or fees?
Who will be the custodian of my assets? Will you or anyone at your firm have the authority to make withdrawals from my accounts? What statements and trade confirmations will I get from the custodian and how often will they come? Is the custodian insured against physical loss of my securities or cash? What methods are available for making my withdrawal of income or capital through your custodian?
Will there be a written contract between us? If so, may I have a sample copy? How long does it obligate me to retain your services? What restraints does the contract place on your investment actions? Will you have full or limited discretionary authority over my assets? If so, who will execute that authority for my account?
What is your investment philosophy? How will my assets be invested under that philosophy... and how will that differ from what you're doing for other clients? How will you adjust the risk of my holdings to my comfort level? What have you done in the past during market downturns?
What is your record of investment progress for the past several years? How does this compare with market "yardsticks"?
What is the frequency and content of the reports you'll provide about my portfolio?  If you will have discretionary authority, do your reports explain the decisions you've made or tell me what you expect to do in the future?
How do you take account of my tax liability when transactions are made? Who will provide relevant tax data to my accountant or tax preparer?
How often do you talk with your clients? Can they communicate with you by toll-free phone, fax, and/or e-mail?

For additional information about this topic, visit the external InvestorProtection site.

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American Superior Company is registered as an Investment Advisor with the Securities & Exchange Commission. We will respond to inquiries about Advisory service that originate from within the United States, but not until and unless it's determined that American Superior Company and its representatives are properly registered or exempt from registration in the inquirer's domicile state. Any securities identified or investment data included at this site, or referenced through links to other Internet sites, is for general information only and should not be construed as investment advice. Whenever historical data is presented, understand that past performance does not imply or guarantee future results. Investment in financial securities can produce profits or losses. Officers, directors and employees of American Superior Company may, from time to time, have positions in, or buy and sell, securities that are identified at this site or referenced through links to other Internet sites, but there is no intention to include such securities because of such ownership, or because of such purchases and sales. Information presented at this site is taken from generally reliable sources but its accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed. American Superior Company has authorized publication of the content on this page.
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