The Securities & Exchange Commission today announced it will highlight the importance of investor education & protection during World Investor Week (WIW) 2023, which takes place October 2-8. Arising technologies & new digital tools are making it easier & quicker to invest. Taking time to do due diligence can help investors avoid fraud & make better informed investment decisions.

This marks the seventh year of WIW, a global effort promoted by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) that brings together regulators on six continents to raise awareness about the importance of investor education & investor protection. As in previous years, the SEC is serving as the national coordinator in the U.S., working with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Securities Investor Protection Corporation, National Futures Association, & North American Securities Administrators Association. Together with these organizations, the SEC’s Office of Investor Education & Advocacy (OIEA) issued a joint Investor Bulletin today to promote WIW’s key initiatives.

During WIW, SEC staff throughout the country will host outreach events highlighting the importance that investors: conduct their own research on investment opportunities; create a risk-appropriate, long-term, & diversified investment plan that can help them weather changing economic conditions & market fluctuations; establish an emergency fund; & learn how to spot fraud.

“Investor protection is at the heart of everything we do at the Securities & Exchange Commission, & World Investor Week provides an important opportunity to advance our mission,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “During the week, SEC staff will engage with investors from a wide range of communities, including students, teachers, older investors, military service members, & underserved communities. I encourage all investors to take advantage of the resources on Investor.gov & participate in our outreach events.”

“A key part of investor protection is education, & we encourage investors to never stop learning. Before making any investment decision, every investor should ask questions, verify the answers, only invest in opportunities they fully understand, & learn how to protect their hard-earned money,” said OIEA Director Lori Schock. “Our Investor Alerts & Bulletins help educate investors about current investment topics & inform them about the latest scams & our new public service campaign has resource pages & informational videos to help them learn how to avoid fraud & to make better informed investment decisions.”

For World Investor Week, Ms. Schock posted a new Director’s Take article, “Protecting Your Retirement Money,” which provides investors with tips on how to protect their hard-earned money, such as checking the background of their investment professional, asking questions about investment opportunities, knowing the red flags of fraud, & avoiding unsolicited phone calls, texts, & emails from anyone asking for money.

The SEC’s WIW page highlights messaging on investor education & protection & includes a quiz that investors can use to test their knowledge of key investing concepts.

Each day of WIW, the SEC will conduct outreach events across the country – both in-person & virtual – including the following:

  • Saving, investing, & fraud protection presentations for older investors, military service members & their families, teachers, & those reentering back into society;
  • Classroom activities for high school & college students, including events at Historically Black Colleges & Universities;
  • A live AARP Fraud Watch Network Facebook event;
  • A radio interview on topics important to older investors; &
  • Thrift Savings Plan program event for federal employees.

To learn more about the SEC’s outreach activities & to get involved with WIW, visit the SEC’s World Investor Week page. Additional investor education & protection resources are available at Investor.gov.