The New Jersey Bureau of Securities enforces New Jersey's securities laws and regulations. Its overarching mission is to protect investors from securities fraud. The bureau registers, examines, investigates, and brings enforcement actions against brokerage firms and individuals who are believed to have committed securities fraud. It has a staff of about 45 employees working in six units: 1) broker-dealer registration; 2) investment adviser registration; 3) examinations; 4) regulatory; 5) enforcement; and 6) complaints/investor education.
Focus on Investor Education
The bureau emphasizes investor education. Under the old adage an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, an informed consumer may be among the most effective weapons against securities fraud. As a result, the bureau recently re-designed its website to make it more user friendly. The new website makes it easier for a consumer to find a myriad of investor education materials, look up the background of a particular financial professional or firm, or file a complaint against a financial professional or firm with the bureau.
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This article was originally published in the December 2015 issue of the New Jersey Lawyer, a publication of the New Jersey State Bar Association, and is reprinted here with permission.