The Securities and Exchange Commission has identified more unauthorized investment schemes, as it continues enforcement efforts amid the coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
The Commission on April 28 advised the public against investing in CROWD1 Asia Pacific, Inc., Sharebiz Ads/Sharebiz Advertising/Sharebiz Online Advertising Services, and Winners Ecommerce International Network Corp. (WINCORP).
It also identified a certain Aiza Mercado as promoter of My Profit Robot (MPR), the subject of a previous advisory.
CROWD1, Sharebiz, and WINCORP neither have registered securities such as investment contracts nor have secured a secondary license to solicit and take investments from the public, as required under Republic Act 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code.
The SEC likewise found no record of Sharebiz and WINCORP being registered as corporations or partnerships. While incorporated, CROWD1 must have secured a secondary license before it could engage in investment-solicitation activities.
In this light, the Commission advised the public to exercise caution in dealing with any individual or group soliciting investments for and on behalf of CROWD1, Sharebiz, and WINCORP.
The SEC warned that those who act as salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents of fraudulent investment schemes may be held criminally liable and penalized with a maximum fine of P5 million or imprisonment of 21 years or both under the Securities Regulation Code.
Those who invite or recruit others to join or invest in such ventures may likewise incur criminal liability, or otherwise be sanctioned or penalized accordingly.
Reports of unauthorized investment solicitation activities may be emailed to the SEC Enforcement and Investor Protection Department at [email protected]. – Press release
