(Associated Press via NewsEdge) The National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) warned consumers of a scam in which stock salespeople direct would-be investors to phony Web sites that mimic those of regulators.
The NASD said it has received complaints from international investors who say they've been sent to Web sites that end in '-gov.us.'
That suffix, the NASD said, is designed to be confused with legitimate sites that end in '.gov' in the US or that use country codes, such as '.au' in Australia, internationally.
The NASD said the sites are a 'new trick' in the world of advance fee scams, which try to get international investors to send money before any service is provided.
The sites also use information stolen from genuine regulatory Web sites to make them appear legitimate, the NASD said.
The NASD's investor alert mentions three phony regulators: Central Registry Regulators, the National Mergers and Acquisitions Board, and the Board of Commissioners of Mergers & Acquisitions.
A phone number listed for Central Registry Regulators went to a work-at-home company, and phone numbers for the other two were out of service.
The investor alert is available at http://www.nasd.com.
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