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U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission


The SEC has issued investor alerts designed to educate investors and assist them in avoiding scams offered to them through, among other things, phone solicitations by brokers who claim to be licensed in the United States. Alerts related to these topics include the following:

Protect Your Money: Check Out Brokers and Investment Advisors

Cold Calling - Know Your Rights

The Fleecing of Foreign Investors: Avoid Getting Burned by "Hot" US Stocks

Worthless Stock: How to Avoid Doubling Your Losses

"Advance Fee Fraud" Schemes

Public Alert: Unregistered Soliciting Entities (PAUSE)

List of Unregistered Soliciting Entities That Have Been the Subject of Investor Complaints

The SEC receives complaints from investors and others, including foreign securities regulators, about securities solicitations made by entities that claim to be registered, licensed and/or located in the United States in their solicitation of non-US investors, and entities not registered in the United States that are soliciting US investors. In some cases, the complaints are about entities claiming to offer investments endorsed by governmental agencies, including the SEC. These claims are important because when an entity claims to be registered with the SEC, it is in effect claiming that it has made itself available for SEC regulation and oversight. Generally, US entities that solicit you to purchase or sell securities for your own account are required to register with the SEC. For this reason, it is important for you to consider whether the entity that solicits you is, in fact, registered with the SEC.

The SEC has looked into these complaints and has learned that in many cases, the soliciting entities are not registered in the United States as they claim or imply. In an effort to warn the public about these entities, the SEC is publishing information it has learned in reviewing these complaints

For each of the entities named below, our staff has determined either (1) that there is no US registered securities firm with this name, or (2) that there is a US registered securities firm with the same (or a similar) name but that solicitations appear to have been made by persons who are not affiliated with the US registered securities firm.

In addition, the "Comments" section for each entity provides additional relevant information we have learned, by answering the following questions:

  1. Is the entity registered in the United States?
     
  2. Is the entity using a name that is the same as, or similar to, the name of a US registered securities firm notwithstanding the fact that the soliciting persons are not affiliated with a US registered securities firm? FINRA (formerly, the "NASD") maintains a public registry of its broker-dealer members and their sales personnel. Using this website, you can verify both the registration and address of any FINRA-registered US broker-dealer and any individual US securities broker. Checking PAUSE is not a substitute for checking the public registry. Here is the link to that registry: http://www.nasd.com/InvestorInformation/InvestorProtection/
    ChecktheBackgroundofYourInvestmentProfessional/index.htm
     
  3. Does the entity claim an endorsement, approval or other support by a governmental agency or international organization that does not exist or does not really lend support to the entity or the investments it is offering? For a list of fictitious governmental agencies and international organizations that are referenced in investor complaints, [click here]. As reflected in the SEC's investor alert entitled, "Fake Seals and Phony Numbers: How Fraudsters Try to Look Legit," the SEC does not "approve" or "endorse" any particular securities, issuers, products, services, professional credentials, firms, or individuals, and does not allow private entities to use its government seal. Here is the link to the SEC investor alert: http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/fakeseals.htm.
     

The SEC will regularly update this list.

You should be aware that this list does not include all unregistered entities or entities that have been the subject of complaints received by the SEC. Also, you should understand that the inclusion of a name on this list does not mean that the SEC has concluded that a violation of the US securities laws has occurred or that the SEC has made any judgment about the merits of the securities being offered by these entities.

To see the official SEC release describing and providing more details about this list, [click here]. If you have information, questions or comments about the entities on this list, please contact oiea@sec.gov or call 202-551-6551.

Name

Comment
Allen Brothers M&A
2733 Vine St.
Cincinnati, OH 45219
Phone: 513-488-0508
Fax: 513-488-0509

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Bainbridge Management
999 3rd Avenue
Suite 3800
Seattle, Washington 98101/98104
Phone: 206-774-1943
Fax: 206-374-3024

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Beacon Global Management, Inc.
Tower Executive Suites
10940 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1500
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Phone: 866-365-0738
Fax: 213-947-4787

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Belmont Shaw and Associates Mergers and Acquisitions
80 N. 3rd Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: 623-707-8676
Fax: 623-707-8677

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
  2. An onsite inspection conducted on May 1, 2007 by the State of Arizona Corporation Commission found that the address given for this entity does not exist.
  3. Claims to be endorsed by, or makes other reference in its solicitations to, the International Compliance Assistance Center, an alleged claim-filing and fund recovery service provider for commercial and securities class-action settlements. This entity is believed to be fictitious.
Berger Aron Macey
1240 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2700
Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone: 404-592-5106
Fax: 404-795-0613

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.  
Bremer Financial Ltd.
Howard Hughes Center
6601 Center Drive, Suite 500
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: 213-403-0107
Fax: 213-403-0109

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name. 
Cameron McDonald & Co.
625 4th Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612-234-4048
Fax: 612-234-4049

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name. 
Capital One Management Inc.
Maine Business Center
415 Congress Street, Suite 102
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: 212-330-9008
Fax: 212-330-9009

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name. 
Century Management Division, Inc.
23351 Ford Rd.
Dearborn, MI 48128
Phone: 313-447-4477
Fax: 313-447-4477

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name. 
Charlton Hayfield and Company
30 E. Broad St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-947-0111
Fax: 614-947-0102

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name. 
City Capital Mergers & Acquisitions
6990 W. Cedar Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80226
Phone: 303-353-0736
Fax: 303-353-0737

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name. 
Coleman Brothers
1800 Grant Street
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 303-952-5896
Fax: 303-952-5801, 303-952-5901

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
  2. Claims to be endorsed by, or makes other reference in its solicitations to, the Securities Compliance Agency, an alleged claim-filing and fund recovery service provider for commercial and securities class-action settlements. This entity is believed to be fictitious.
Collett Quinlan M&A
50 Hurt Plaza, SE
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-671-8082
Fax: 404-671-8083

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
The Equity Exchange Group Portfolio Management (Limited)
1 Federal Street, Floor 28
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-499-4856
Fax: 617-499-4857

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Ferguson Hathaway Consulting, Ltd./FH Consulting
2101 Wall Street Center
14 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005
Phone: 212-461-1487
Fax: 646-224-8941

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
FinAllianz
W. 50th St., Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 646-810-6182
Fax: 484-993-3822

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
First Liberty Transfer Agency, LLC
1101 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-449-9593
Fax: 202-379-9299

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Global Direct Financial Inc.
Aura Executive Center
695 Central Avenue, Suite 110
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: 786-228-4959
Head Office
93 Pearl Street
New York, NY 10004
Phone: 212-465-3259

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Golden Medallion Trading
Stanford Corporate Center
14001 N. Dallas Parkway, Suite 1400
Dallas, TX 75240
Phone: 866-296-7051
Fax: 817-977-5237

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Grant Group LLC
1120 Broadway, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 646-224-8723
Fax: 646-224-8724

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Griffin Mergers and Acquisitions
8th Street and Nicollet Mall, Downtown
Minneapolis, MN 55402-8773
Phone: 612-284-2417
Fax: 612-677-3711

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Hopewood and Company
413 4th Ave. S.
Columbus, MS 39701
Phone: 662-913-0603
Fax: 662-913-0604

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Howell and Johnson Associates
1422 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115
Phone: 216-744-1026
Fax: 216-744-1027

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
  2. Website shows different phone numbers, with Atlanta area codes, from those used in solicitation materials.
Imperial Quest Ventures, Ltd.
The Hancock Center
875 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 2600
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 866-365-3685
Fax: 312-205-6421, 312-277-3321

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
  2. Claims to be recognized by the SEC and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Neither the SEC nor the Federal Trade Commission has endorsed this entity.
J. Rowan Associates
230 Peachtree St.
NW Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 678-954-0520
Fax: 678 954 0521

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Kennedy, Anderson & Lang
60 E. 42nd St., Suite 1516
New York, NY 10165
Phone: 646-290-8536
Fax: 646-290-8922
Website (now offline): http://kal-ny.com/

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Kobe Asset Management
One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, Suite 2100
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: 412-235-0107
Fax: 412-202-0736

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Landmark M&A, Inc.
445 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 646-530-8783
Fax: 646-417-7996

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Lindenberg Asset Management
One Market Street, Spear Tower, 33th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-373-5248
Fax: 415-276-6023

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Lloyd Brown Investments, Inc.
Hancock Center
875 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 3100
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312-416-0876
Fax: 312-416-0877

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Maitland Bell & Co.
2201 E. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Phone: 602-926-1314
Fax: 602-926-1315

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Miller & Ross
Lexington Avenue, Manhattan-Midtown
Turtle Bay, NY 10107
Fax: 646-478-9513

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Universal Partners Mergers & Acquisitions
300 Main Street
Lafayette, IN 47901
Phone: 765-637-0102
Fax: 765-637-0103

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
  2. Claims to be endorsed by, or makes other reference in its solicitations to, the Regulatory Advisory Commission, an alleged claim-filing and fund recovery service provider for commercial and securities class-action settlements. This entity is believed to be fictitious.
Warren Sitco & Company
919 North Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: 302-391-0803
Fax: 302-391-0804

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
  2. Claims to be endorsed by, or makes other reference in its solicitations to, the Securities Compliance Agency, an alleged claim-filing and fund recovery service for commercial and securities class-action settlements. This entity is believed to be fictitious.
Wellington Mergers and Acquisitions
3340 Peachtree Road NE, Buckhead Area
Atlanta, GA 30326-1081
Phone: 404-592-4540
Fax: 404-759-2088

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
  2. Claims to be endorsed by, or makes other reference in its solicitations to, International Stock Regulators, an alleged claim-filing and fund recovery service for commercial and securities class-action settlements.  This entity is believed to be fictitious.
Western Capital, Inc.
Empire State Building
350 5th Avenue, Suite 2108
New York, NY 10118
Phone 866-365-0736
Fax: 646-224-8765

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.
Wiess & Associates Ltd.
203 North LaSalle Center
Suite 1800
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 800-578-8365
Fax: 312-277-7553

 
  1. No US registered securities firm with this name.

 

 

http://www.sec.gov/investor/oiepauselist.htm

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Modified: 05/05/2008