Unsolicited investment advice
Shareholders are advised to be very wary of any unsolicited investment advice, offers to buy shares at a discount and offers of free company reports. These calls come from fraudsters in "boiler rooms" and they can be very persistent and extremely persuasive.
Investment scams are designed to look like genuine investments and often turn out to be worthless or high risk. In the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reported that the average amount lost by investors to such scams is around £20,000 each year, and this is not restricted to novice investors.
Investors in Belgium (and the rest of Europe) are also reporting these activities. The Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) publishes information on types of share fraud, advice on how to recognise and avoid fraud, warnings on companies involved in these practices and contact details for further advice. Similar information is available from the FCA.