Have you ever received a text or chat from a stranger? It might open with a simple “Hi” or what seems like good-natured confusion about why your number is in the person’s contacts. But these messages are anything but accidental – they’re the first step in a process intended to steer you towards a so-called “investment”. Instead of a real investment, your money disappears into the account of a fraudster. These actions are known as “pig butchering” scams – not the most pleasant name, we know. But before you take investment advice from a new “friend” or online love interest, get familiar wit ..read more

The March 2024 edition of the Enforcement Roundup features an enforcement action taken by the BC Securities Commission (BCSC) along with 17 new additions to the Investment Caution List.   BCSC Enforcement   BCSC Settlement Agreement   Anthony Kevin Jackson, BridgeMark Financial Corp., and Jackson & Company Professional Corp  Anthony Kevin Jackson, BridgeMark Financial Corp., and Jackson & Company Professional Corp. admitted to participating in a scheme involving private placements and prepaid consulting fees for little or no consulting work. As part ..read more

The February Enforcement Roundup features 8 enforcement actions taken by the BC Securities Commission (BCSC) and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). It also includes 17 new additions to the Investment Caution List.   BCSC Enforcement  BCSC Settlement Agreements   County Line Energy Inc., 0985358 B.C. Ltd., Aarif Jamani, and 1207124 B.C. Ltd.    A BC resident and three companies connected to him have admitted to breaching a cease trade order issued by the BCSC. County Line Energy Inc., a BC reporting issuer and Nevada corporation, issued 2 ..read more

In a stride towards fostering investment empowerment, BCSC InvestRight today unveiled a resource designed for women – a comprehensive guide to investing, appropriately dubbed Women and Investing. This online guide provides unbiased, research-backed information that aims to not only bridge the gender investment gap but also instill confidence in women when it comes to making informed investment decisions. Building Confidence by Building Knowledge  The Women and Investing resource will empower women through knowledge, recognizing that a lack of information can lead to hesitation in the worl ..read more

The January Enforcement Roundup features three enforcement actions, a Notice on the Availability of Funds, and an Investor Alert issued by the BC Securities Commission (BCSC). It also includes 16 new additions to the Investment Caution List. BCSC Enforcement BCSC Settlement Agreement Matthew Herbert Calvert A North Vancouver investment firm (Ascenta Finance Corp.) and two of its employees (Matthew Herbert Calvert and Tracy Anne Mabone) have paid a combined $55,000 for failing to ensure investments were suitable for clients. Calvert admitted to recommending unsuitable investments to three inves ..read more

The BC Securities Commission (BCSC) is warning investors about a Utah-based company that has filed two deficient technical reports claiming large reserves of gold on projects in BC and Arizona.  Teton Collective, LLC’s reports said the mineral reserves have very large “gross values” and “proven gold.” But the reports do not comply with national requirements in various ways: They do not contain supporting evidence for valid mineral resources or mineral reserves; Provide no basis for the dollar values assigned to the projects; And are not authored by a qualified person.  Both reports ..read more

The last monthly Enforcement Roundup for 2023 features 5 enforcement actions taken by the BC Securities Commission (BCSC) and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). It also includes 8 new additions to the Investment Caution List.   BCSC Enforcement  BCSC Settlement Agreement   Marcus (Ming) Xu and M.Y. Capital Management Corporation   A Vancouver portfolio manager has paid $100,000 to the BCSC for failing to comply with investor protection requirements after a BCSC investigation revealed compliance deficiencies. Under the settlement, the fir ..read more

It’s another year in the books at the BC Securities Commission (BCSC) for investor education. From a new calculator to a fraud awareness campaign and the launch of our new whistleblower program, we’ve spent the year – as always – dedicated to helping British Columbians navigate the world of investing. Let’s take a look back at 2023 before we usher in a new year. Retirement Calculator This new calculator provides insight on how investing can impact retirement. BCSC research shows retirement continues to be a top goal for British Columbians. The sooner you set your retirement plan in motion, the ..read more

The November edition of the Enforcement Roundup highlights six enforcement actions taken by the BC Securities Commission (BCSC) and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). It also includes 13 new additions to the Investment Caution List. BCSC Enforcement BCSC Orders GSPartners, GSB Gold Standard Bank Ltd. GSB Gold Standard Corporation AG, Swiss Valorem Bank Ltd., Haidy Nitsa Nakos, Tanya Sue Cloete, and James Bruce Gardiner The BCSC issued a temporary order as part of a coordinated US-Canada enforcement action to stop the promotion of an investment product called “MetaCertific ..read more

The BC Securities Commission (BCSC) will start paying people who provide helpful information about investment fraud and other serious types of market misconduct.  The whistleblower program awards will range from $1,000 to $250,000 and will be determined by how quickly the information was reported, how much the information contributed to the enforcement outcome, and the seriousness of the misconduct, among other considerations. A whistleblower also could receive more than one award for the same information, with the maximum payout capped at $500,000.  The whistleblower program, specif ..read more