Investor Protection and Trust: A Survey of Oregon Adults Ages 40 and Older

In 2006, Oregon ranked seventh in the nation in the overall number of fraud complaints received by state securities regulators. This November 2007 telephone survey examined perceptions and knowledge of financial securities among Oregonians age 40 and older. Findings show that:

• 66% of respondents currently invest in financial securities, such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. However, only 20% feel highly knowledgeable about investing.
• Thirty-nine percent of investors get advice from a professional broker or financial advisor, 19% get advice from family or friends, and 10% read financial newspapers or magazines.
• Respondents identified the state of the economy, becoming a victim of identity theft, lack of ethics in the marketplace, and losing money as their major concerns about investing.
• Most are engaged in fraud prevention behaviors: 71% have singed up for the “Do Not Call” registry, 62% own a paper shredder, and 52% have requested a copy of their credit report.

 

Alan Newman Research conducted this survey for AARP, interviewing 802 randomly selected Oregon residents age 40 and older during November 8-27, 2007. (23 pages)