Penny Stock Scams

Penny stocks are intriguing to investors because of their low value and the possibility of high gains, but with the possibility of high gains comes a greater risk of scams and fraud. Because these low value stocks can be manipulated by small groups for a profit, they are ripe for unsavory and unethical activity. If you plan on dabbling in this market, it’s important to understand some of the most common scams out there.

The most common scam or form of fraud is probably the pump and dump. Put simply this is where investors looking to cash in promote a specific stock to inflate the price of it, after they have bought shares at an extremely low price (the pump). Once the price is inflated they sell their shares and get out causing the stock prices to fall, leaving unknowing investors with virtually worthless stock (the dump).

But this isn’t the only scam in this market. Another way investors manipulate this market is through chop stocks. Continue reading