Consumer Protection

Welcome to our Consumer Protection page. Our mission: to protect consumers from unscrupulous financial advisors and unsuitable or fraudulent financial products.

NEB Consumer Protection Brochures

• Consumers' Guide to Investment Scam Prevention
• Consumers' Guide to Identity Theft Prevention
• Consumers' Guide to Financial Records Protection

NEB Consumer Services

• Verify the background of an NEB member advisor.
• Order a background check on a non-NEB advisor.
• Find an NEB member advisor in your area.
• File a complaint about an NEB member advisor.

Insurance and Financial Advisor Trade Associations

• National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA)
  
• Society of Financial Services Professionals (SFSP)
  
• National Association of Health Underwriters
  
• Million Dollar Roundtable
  
• Financial Planning Association
  
• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
  
• Investment Advisor Association
  

Consumer Protection Organizations

• Better Business Bureau
• FirstGov for Consumers
  
• Federal Trade Commission
  
• National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C)
  
• Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
• Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA)

Buying Advice and Resources

• AARP – Financial Planning and Retirement Resources
• Financial Planning Association – Learning Tools
• FINRA – Investor Protection Resources
• FINRA – Check Out Brokers and Advisors
• FINRA – Investment Choices
• North American Securities Administrators Association – NASAA Fraud Center
• Securities and Exchange Commission – Investment Advisors: What You Need to Know Before Choosing One

Recommended Reading

• Scam Proof Your Life: 377 Smart Ways to Protect You and Your Family from Ripoffs, Bogus Deals, & Other Consumer Headaches, by Sid Kirchheimer.
• Scams & Swindles: How to Recognize and Avoid Internet Era Ripoffs, by The Silver Lake Editors.
• The Art of the Steal: How to Protect Yourself and Your Business From Fraud, America's #1 Crime, by Frank W. Abagnale