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I recently received a mass-mailing purporting to be a free introductory issue of an investment magazine, but consisting of hyperbolic, untrammeled promotion of a penny stock. In other words, it ticked all the boxes for a blatantly obvious pump-and-dump scam.

I'm obviously not going to fall for this (not least because I haven't any money to invest in the first place), but clearly some people do or they wouldn't be profitable. So, is there some law enforcement agency to whom I can report these? Ideally before some senile retiree blows the last of his nest egg?

Or do I just shred the magazine and feel sad for the marks who don't?

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    I'd start with the post office; this may count as mail fraud.
    – keshlam
    Oct 23, 2014 at 17:52
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    Oh wow, I get dozens of these every month and just toss them. They usually contain sufficient disclaimers (in small print) that I assume they are legal: deceptive, yes, but not sufficient to constitute legal fraud.
    – user1731
    Oct 24, 2014 at 20:14

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Start with your local police department then move on to these sites.

Fill out the United States Postal Service fraud complaint form http://ehome.uspis.gov/fcsexternal/

Contact your State Attorneys General. Your state Attorney General or local office of consumer protection is also listed in the government pages of your telephone book

Write to the Federal Trade Commission: [email protected]

If you are aware of a securities (e.g., stocks) scam, insider trading, etc., you will want to contact the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/SEC.php

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