The Earl Jones financial scandal has some investors asking themselves whether or not their investments are safe. One of the best ways to guard against fraud is to educate yourself about what your money is doing and who your money manager is.
The Autorite des Marches Financiers is the financial regulator in Quebec and its website has many resources to pin point fraud. It has a registry that allows consumers to confirm the credentials of their money managers (the AMF says it is working on an improved, simpler version. If you have questions, call them at 1-877-525-0337). The website includes a fraud section, which features a pamphlet called "Red Flagging Financial Fraud."
Two other website allow users to directly track their investments, or prospective investments:
CTV Montreal spoke with a victim of the the Mount Real financial scandal who said she would now feel more comfortable with doing business with larger firms because there is more oversight. Here's a few:
And for those looking to know more about their money in general:
- Happy Capitalism is a Canadian website by analyst Lou Schizas
- David Bach's "Finish Rich" series
For those looking to know more about the economy:
- NPR's Planet Money is an American pod cast, but can help demystify some of the general principles of the economy.
