The British Columbia Securities Commission has redesigned its InvestRight website to help investors protect themselves from scams, avoid unsuitable investments and make informed investment decisions.

“The plethora of Ponzi schemes and investment fraud over the past couple of years has made the public painfully aware of how easy it is to get caught up in a bad investment,” says Patricia Bowles, director, communications and education.

“We decided to provide more information on the types of research people should do to avoid such a trap. In addition, we have included a section on high-risk investment products and one on investing in the private companies to help people better understand the risks involved before making their investment decisions.”

InvestRight.org also gives investors relevant information on how to make informed decisions, sets out questions they should be asking about their portfolios and provides advice on how to choose an investment advisor.

Here are some of the highlights:

> a comprehensive, interactive Guide to Investing: How to make informed investment decisions;
> current news and blog posts focused on investor protection and financial literacy;
> new content to help people monitor and understand their investments;
> an expanded section that focuses on recognizing and avoiding fraud and scams;
> video and multimedia offerings on a variety of investor education topics;
> current investor research, Chinese-language resources and useful links; and
> interactive worksheets and brochures available for download.

IE