December 8, 2021
Have you wondered what the Division of Securities can do for you? A bit of historical perspective might provide a better understanding. Founded in 1919 as the Securities Commission for enforcement of Utah’s Blue Sky laws, the Utah Division of Securities now enforces the Utah Uniform Securities Act. The Act has five objectives:
¬ to license broker-dealers and their agents, investment advisers and their representatives, and to monitor their compliance with the Act.
¬ to assure that the investing public receives material financial and other information concerning publicly offered securities, through registration of non-exempt securities, and through vigorous enforcement of anti-fraud and licensing provisions of the Act.
¬ to investigate complaints of fraud and misrepresentation in the offer, sale, and purchase of securities.
¬ to educate the public and investment community regarding investing practices, compliance with the securities laws, and avoiding illegal or abusive investment schemes.
To meet the objectives, the Division will answer telephone inquiries, respond to email or arrange in-person meetings, if necessary, to accommodate the public.
The following information will provide perspective on the Division’s limitations. The Division of Securities is not able to:
¬ provide legal advice nor act as a private attorney for purposes of recovering a lost investment. Any person who has lost money as the victim of an unlawful securities transaction should immediately contact his or her personal attorney about the possibility of bringing a civil lawsuit to recover lost funds.
¬ disclose confidential information pertaining to an investigation or audit, as the requirements of GRAMA, Utah Code Ann. §63G-2-101 et seq., are strictly observed.
¬disclose who has or has not filed complaints unless an official order is issued or criminal charges are filed.
Contact the Utah Division of Securities at 801-530-6600. For additional information, visit securities.utah.gov.