News Release

Calgary - To kick-off Fraud Prevention Month in March, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) is encouraging investors to protect themselves from investment fraud by asking the right questions before they invest. 

"A recent CSA survey indicated that two in five Canadians have been approached with what they believe to be an investment fraud in the past three years,"says Jean St-Gelais, Chair of the CSA and President & Chief Executive Officer of the Autorité des marchés financiers (Québec). "We believe that investor education is the best defence on how to recognize and avoid potentially fraudulent investments."

To avoid fraud or making an unsuitable investment, the CSA suggests everyone should ask these questions before making an investing decision:

• Do you know who you're dealing with?
• Do you know what you're investing in?
• Do you know your investment goals?
• Do you know the red flags that could signal a fraud?
• Do you know who to call for help?

Canadians are encouraged to visit the CSA website at www.csa-acvm.ca , to learn more about these topics and how they can avoid investment fraud.  Visitors to the site can check out the Investor Information section and download recently updated investor resources and brochures on topics such as avoiding frauds and scams and the basics of investing.  The site also provides links to a wealth of other important investing information available by contacting local provincial and territorial securities regulators. 

The CSA is also joining forces with the Fraud Prevention Forum in promoting March 2008 as Fraud Prevention Month. As a Fraud Prevention Forum partner, the CSA joins more than 90 private sector firms, consumer and volunteer groups, and government and law enforcement agencies that are committed to educating the public and fighting fraud targeted at consumers and businesses.   Throughout the month of March, these organizations will be involved in a number of national, regional and local activities supporting fraud prevention.

The CSA is the council of the securities regulators of Canada's provinces and territories whose objectives are to improve, coordinate and harmonize regulation of the Canadian capital markets.

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