The mission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) provides educational resources through outreach programs and on Investor.gov to help investors make better informed investment decisions, and tools to address questions they may face.

The SEC provides interactive ways to help educate, protect and appeal to investors of all ages, including students. The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy created fictional HoweyTrade investment program videos to show what real investment scams can look like, including educational content to help spot and avoid fraud.

Students and teachers can also access other educational videos and free financial planning tools on Investor.gov, including:

For Students:

For Teachers:

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  • The HoweyTrade videos and webpage are designed to educate students about the lengths scammers will go in trying to steal their money.
  • The mock video uses eye-catching graphics and includes fake testimonials, promises of great wealth, high guaranteed returns, and exclusive access to a phony investing program.
  • The educational video encourages investors to check the background of anyone offering an investment to find out if they are currently registered or licensed by using the free and simple search tool on Investor.gov.
  • The educational video also points out the different kinds of tactics scammers use in their fake investment promotions, and highlights the red flags of fraud.
Learn more:
  • The HoweyTrade investment program videos can be used as a teaching tool for educators as part of their financial education instruction. If you have used HoweyTrade in your classroom, or have ideas on how we can enhance or expand the initiative, please contact Brian Mulford at mulfordb@sec.gov.
  • Read about a similar educational approach to educate investors about investment scams at HoweyCoins.com, a website that mimicked a bogus initial coin offering. Anyone who clicked on “Buy Coins Now” was led instead to investor education tools and tips from the SEC and other financial regulators.

The SEC wants students to know that each year fraudsters steal billions of dollars from America’s investors. They may use sensational, over-the-top videos to grab their attention and try to entice them into investing in fake investment opportunities:

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Office of Investor Education and Advocacy
100 F Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20549
www.Investor.gov
www.sec.gov
800-732-0330

Request an investor education presentation for your organization at outreach@sec.gov
Follow the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy on Twitter @SEC_Investor_Ed

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In observance of the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the Jump$tart office will be closed. We will resume business on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

Are you following Jump$tart on our social media platforms. Be sure to stay connected as we are hard at work to make 2023 another amazing year. It may be a new year, however, our commitment to “moving financial literacy forward” remains the same. Thank you for being on the journey with us! Links to our Social in the buttons below!

After two years of being unable to host Hill Day in Washington DC, we are looking forward to an in-person event this year. For sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities for Hill Day 2022 please reach out to Jessica Cultra at Jessica.cultra@jumpstart.org.