11. I read on an internet chat room or website tha

11. I read on an internet chat room or website that a specific security has a large number of fails; are these sources reliable?

Investors can and should verify the number of failures to deliver in a specific security by checking publicly available data on failures to deliver. The Commission publishes on its website failures to deliver data for all equity securities, regardless of the fails level, twice per month. For current failures to deliver information, see http://www.sec.gov/foia/docs/failsdata.htm.

Investors should always be cautious that issuers, promoters, or shareholders may be seeking to stimulate buying interest by making false, misleading or unfounded statements in internet chat rooms or other such forums about alleged large “naked” short positions in some smaller issuers. Some individuals may encourage other investors to buy these issuers’ securities by claiming that there will be an imminent short squeeze, in which the alleged “naked” short sellers will be forced to cover open short positions at increasing prices. These claims in fact may be false.

The Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance has made available publications on the Commission’s website (http://www.sec.gov/investor.shtml) that provide helpful guidance on the securities markets and sales and trading practices, including short selling. The Office of Investor Education and Advocacy has also established a website dedicated to retail investors, http://investor.gov/. Investors and prospective investors should be cautious of rumors on chat rooms where the intent of nameless and faceless computer users is in doubt.

https://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/regsho.htm