Investor Do’s and Don’ts – Essential Guidelines for Safe Market Participation
Dos and Don'ts While Dealing With Investment Advisor
Dos
1. Always deal with SEBI registered Investment Advisers.
2. Check for SEBI registration number. Please refer to the list of all SEBI registered Investmen Advisers which is available on SEBI website in the following link: https://www.sebi.gov.in/sebiweb/other/OtherAction.do?doRecognisedFpi=yes&intmId=13
3. Ensure that the Investment Adviser has a valid registration certificate.
4. Pay only advisory fees to your Investment Adviser. Make payments of advisory fees throug banking channels only and maintain duly signed receipts mentioning the details of you payments.
5. Always ask for your risk profiling before accepting investment advice. Insist that Investment Adviser provides advisory strictly on the basis of your risk profiling and take into account available investment alternatives.
6. Ask all relevant questions and clear your doubts with your Investment Adviser before acting on advice.
7. Assess the risk-return profile of the investment as well as the liquidity and safety aspects before making investments.
8. Insist on getting the terms and conditions in writing duly signed and stamped. Read these terms and conditions carefully particularly regarding advisory fees, advisory plans, category of recommendations etc. before dealing with any Investment Adviser.
9. Be vigilant in your transactions.
10. Approach the appropriate authorities for redressal of your doubts/grievances. Inform SEBI about Investment Advisers offering assured or guaranteed returns.
Don'ts
11. Do not deal with unregistered entities.
12. Don't fall for stock tips offered under the pretext of investment advice.
13. Do not give your money for investment to the Investment Adviser.
14. Don't fall for the promise of indicative or exorbitant or assured returns by the Investment Advisers. Don't let greed overcome rational investment decisions.
15. Don't get carried away by luring advertisements or market rumours.
16. Avoid doing transactions only on the basis of phone calls or messages from any Investment Adviser or its representatives.
17. Don't take decisions just because of repeated messages and calls by Investment Advisers.
18. Do not fall prey to limited period discount or other incentive, gifts, etc. offered by Investment Advisers.
19. Don't rush into making investments that do not match your risk taking appetite and investment goals.
.png)
ATTENTION INVESTORS!
-
Beware of guaranteed returns:
Beware of fixed/guaranteed/regular returns/ capital protection schemes. Brokers or their authorized persons or any of their associates are not authorized to offer fixed/guaranteed/regular returns/ capital protection on your investment or authorized to enter into any loan agreement with you to pay interest on the funds offered by you. Please note that in case of default of a member claim for funds or securities given to the broker under any arrangement/ agreement of indicative return will not be accepted by the relevant Committee of the Exchange as per the approved norms. -
Do not keep funds idle:
Do not keep funds idle with the Stock Broker. Please note that your stock broker has to return the credit balance lying with them, within three working days in case you have not done any transaction within last 30 calendar days. Please note that in case of default of a Member, claim for funds and securities, without any transaction on the exchange will not be accepted by the relevant Committee of the Exchange as per the approved norms. -
Check account settlements:
Check the frequency of accounts settlement opted for. If you have opted for running account, please ensure that your broker settles your account and, in any case, not later than once in 90 days (or 30 days if you have opted for 30 days settlement). In case of declaration of trading member as defaulter, the claims of clients against such defaulter member would be subject to norms for eligibility of claims for compensation from IPF to the clients of the defaulter member. These norms are available on Exchange website at following link: https://www.nseindia.com/invest/about-defaulter-section. -
No direct security transfers:
Brokers are not permitted to accept transfer of securities as margin. Securities offered as margin/ collateral MUST remain in the account of the client and can be pledged to the broker only by way of ‘margin pledge’, created in the Depository system. Clients are not permitted to place any securities with the broker or associate of the broker or authorized person of the broker for any reason. Broker can take securities belonging to clients only for settlement of securities sold by the client. -
Keep contact details updated:
Always keep your contact details viz. Mobile number/Email ID updated with the stock broker. Email and mobile number is mandatory and you must provide the same to your broker for updation in Exchange records. You must immediately take up the matter with Stock Broker/Exchange if you are not receiving the messages from Exchange/Depositories regularly. -
Verify trades regularly:
Don't ignore any emails/SMSs received from the Exchange for trades done by you. Verify the same with the Contract notes/Statement of accounts received from your broker and report discrepancy, if any, to your broker in writing immediately and if the Stock Broker does not respond, please take this up with the Exchange/Depositories forthwith. -
Review weekly statements:
Check messages sent by Exchanges on a weekly basis regarding funds and securities balances reported by the trading member, compare it with the weekly statement of account sent by broker and immediately raise a concern to the exchange if you notice a discrepancy. -
Avoid unauthorized transfers:
Please do not transfer funds, for the purposes of trading to anyone, including an authorized person or an associate of the broker, other than a SEBI registered Stock broker.”