‘Free lunch’ investment seminars prey on retirees

  • Associated Press
  • Tuesday, September 11, 2007 12:00am
  • Business

WASHINGTON — “Free Food. Free Golf. Free Drinks.” “Dinner is On Us!” “Act now!” Investment seminar pitches like these abound in areas with large populations of retirees, and regulators are warning seniors to be wary.

A probe of the meetings has uncovered high-pressure sales pitches for unsuitable products, misleading claims and even outright fraud, federal, state and securities-industry regulators said Monday.

The Securities and Exchange Commission held a “seniors summit” on investment fraud and abusive sales practices with the North American Securities Administrators Association, which represents state securities regulators; AARP, the advocacy group for seniors; and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the securities industry’s self-policing organization.

While their promoters paint the “free lunch” seminars as educational sessions, sometimes promising that nothing will be sold, “they are designed to sell — either at the seminar itself or later,” said Lori Richards, director of the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations. “They’re not educational events.”

The investigation conducted by the SEC, state regulators and FINRA found the use of scare tactics to get seniors to question their current investments, claims of fantastic returns with no risk, and “ringers” in the audience who would stand up and offer testimonials of how much they had earned.

The investigation, which ran from April 2006 to June 2007, was conducted in seven states with large numbers of retirees: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, said he planned to put forward a legislative proposal to address “the financial exploitation of America’s seniors.”

“I am alarmed by the unscrupulous, fraudulent and abusive practices highlighted” by the regulators’ report, Dodd said in a statement issued after Monday’s meeting. “Regrettably, these practices appear to be part of a growing trend of predatory behavior targeted towards America’s seniors.”

By law, the sales pitches made at the seminars and the materials provided to participants must be approved by a brokerage or investment firm’s supervisors and submitted to review by FINRA.

But nearly 60 percent of the 110 investment firms and branch offices examined showed evidence of weak supervision of the employees running the seminars, according to the investigation’s report. That is significant, Richards said, and indicates that many firms putting on the seminars need to “immediately step up” their supervision of salespeople. The firms were not named.

Jeannie Bunton, a spokeswoman for the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, Wall Street’s biggest lobbying organization, said the group had not yet read the report and had no immediate comment on that finding. Association President and CEO Marc Lackritz did say in a statement that “flimflam artists and fly-by-nighters with their gimmicks and come-ons undermine the public’s trust and have no place in the financial services industry.”

Indeed, 14 of the 110 examinations showed apparent instances of fraud, such as liquidating accounts without a customer’s knowledge or consent or selling bogus investments — and have been referred to appropriate authorities for possible enforcement action. Fraud against seniors also can occur, for example, in the sale of oil and gas partnerships or phony promissory notes.

People 60 and older make up 15 percent of the country’s population but account for an estimated 30 percent of fraud victims. An estimated $16 trillion — three-quarters of the nation’s consumer financial assets — is held by households headed by people 50 or older, and regulators expect an increase in scams targeting retired baby boomers.

In the past two years, the SEC has brought more than 40 enforcement cases involving alleged fraud against seniors, many in coordination with state authorities. In addition, FINRA, known until recently as the National Association of Securities Dealers, has filed cases against a number of brokerage firms and individual employees.

“Our research shows that almost one in five seniors who lost money on an investment attribute that loss to being misled or defrauded,” said Mary Schapiro, FINRA’s chairman and chief executive. “This concern is real, and confronting it will require a focused regulatory effort.”

Among other things, FINRA is examining whether brokers are using so-called “professional” designations to mislead and defraud senior investors.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

The livery on a Boeing plane. (Christopher Pike / Bloomberg)
Former Lockheed Martin CFO joins Boeing as top financial officer

Boeing’s Chief Financial Officer is being replaced by a former CFO at… Continue reading

Izaac Escalante-Alvarez unpacks a new milling machine at the new Boeing machinists union’s apprentice training center on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Boeing Machinists union training center opens in Everett

The new center aims to give workers an inside track at Boeing jobs.

Some SnoCo stores see shortages after cyberattack on grocery supplier

Some stores, such as Whole Foods and US Foods CHEF’STORE, informed customers that some items may be temporarily unavailable.

People take photos and videos as the first Frontier Arlines flight arrives at Paine Field Airport under a water cannon salute on Monday, June 2, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Water cannons salute Frontier on its first day at Paine Field

Frontier Airlines joins Alaska Airlines in offering service Snohomish County passengers.

Amit B. Singh, president of Edmonds Community College. 201008
Edmonds College and schools continue diversity programs

Educational diversity programs are alive and well in Snohomish County.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Water drips from an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 after it received a water salute while becoming the first scheduled 737 arrival Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, at Paine Field Airport in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Boeing and Airbus forecast strong demand for their jets

Boeing and Airbus project more than 40,000 new jets are needed.

Hundreds wait in line to order after the grand opening of Dick’s Drive-In’s new location in Everett on Thursday, June 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dick’s Drive-In throws a party for opening day in Everett

More than 150 people showed up to celebrate the grand opening for the newest Dick’s in Snohomish County.

Patrick Russell, left, Jill Russell and their son Jackson Russell of Lake Stevens enjoy Dick’s burgers on their way home from Seattle on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. The family said the announcement of the Dick’s location in Everett “is amazing” and they will be stopping by whenever it opens in 2025. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dick’s Drive-In announces details for Thursday’s grand opening in Everett

Dick’s will celebrate its second Snohomish County location with four days of festivities.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.