Today the SEC issued an Investor Alert warning investors about companies asserting they are engaging in an ICO, when in fact it is a scam. Specifically, “The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is warning investors about potential scams involving stock of companies claiming to be related to, or asserting they are engaging in, Initial Coin Offerings (or ICOs). Fraudsters often try to use the lure of new and emerging technologies to convince potential victims to invest their money in scams. These frauds include “pump-and-dump” and market manipulation schemes involving publicly traded companies that claim to provide exposure to these new technologies.” While this alert relates to fraud, and thus is not directly applicable to legitimate companies engaging in ICOs, it highlights the SEC’s continued interest and concern regarding the ICO market.
The full release can be found here.