CSA warns of false derivatives regulator

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) released a warning to the public on Friday about an organization falsely claiming to regulate derivatives in Canada.

Prospective investors are referred to a website for the so-called “Canadian Office of Derivative Trading,” where they can check the registration status and disciplinary history of promoted  investment institutions, among other fake claims.

There is no regulatory body in Canada under such a name, and the CSA said it believes the website is being used by fraudsters to add credibility to their investment scams.

“When a prospective investor searches for the investment entity in question, the website indicates that the entity has no regulatory issues,” the release said. “That positive search result may encourage the investor to invest.”

CSA members are investigating the fraudulent organization and working to have the website taken down.

Maddie Johnson

Maddie is a freelance writer and editor who has been reporting for Advisor.ca since 2019.