NMRLD News:
SANTA FE — New Mexicans made 10,638 reports of fraud to the Federal Trade Commission in 2025, totaling $50.7 million in losses. This National Consumer Protection Week, March 1-7, the Securities Division is urging residents to learn how to avoid, report and recover from scams and investment fraud.
National Consumer Protection Week, sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission, is an annual initiative held during the first full week of March. It brings together federal, state and local agencies, along with private and nonprofit partners, to provide resources and educational tools to help investors avoid scams and protect their financial well-being.
“An informed and protected investor is essential as financial markets evolve and digital assets continue to develop,” said Benjamin Schrope, acting director of the New Mexico Securities Division. “With New Mexicans losing millions each year to fraud, National Consumer Protection Week is a great time to review what you know about fraud and learn how to avoid becoming a victim to today’s sophisticated, technology-driven scams.”
The Securities Division is committed to protecting investors by ensuring investment brokers and advisors follow the law, stopping and prosecuting those who violate securities laws or commit fraud and conducting outreach in communities statewide about fraud prevention.
The division regularly engages in community outreach and education by sharing informational resources, scheduling ongoing outreach events in both English and Spanish, joining interagency roundtable events and speaking to civic groups.
This National Consumer Protection Week, the Securities Division encourages New Mexicans to:
- Participate in an event or webinar focused on fraud prevention.
- Verify the registration and background of financial professionals before investing at brokercheck.finra.org or by contacting the Securities Division.
- Be cautious of unsolicited investment offers, particularly those involving cryptocurrency or other digital assets.
- Learn how to protect personal and financial information from phishing schemes and cyber scams.
- Know how to spot the red flags of investment fraud or schedule a presentation for your group by visiting www.rld.nm.gov/redflags.
Report instances of fraud to the Securities Division.