by Howard Haykin

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) recently took action against 18 traders – primarily based in China – who, from 2013 to present, manipulated the prices of more than 3,000 thinly-traded securities. By creating the false appearance of trading interest and activity, these traders artificially boosted or depressed stock prices of selected stocks, enabling them to make over $31 million in illicit profits – at the expense of small 'mom and pop investors'.

HERE’S HOW A TRADING SCAM WOULD GO DOWN.    Using different brokerage accounts, traders would place several small sell orders to depress the stock price. They then would buy larger amounts of that stock through other brokerage accounts - all at the low prices they created. AT THAT POINT, THE TRADERS FLIPPED THE SCRIPT - placing several small buy orders (to artificially raise the share price) and then unloading their share positions at the artificially high prices (to reap large profits).

Mom and pop investors in these thinly-traded stocks are the unwitting victims in these scams by buying shares at high prices and selling shares at low prices.