The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is a real United States self-regulatory organisation that oversees broker-dealers, under Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) oversight. It runs BrokerCheck, writes rules for member firms and can bring enforcement cases. It does not cold-call private people abroad to say “we found your money” and ask for a Western Union fee so the cash can clear.
FINRA’s own investor pages warn about regulator-imposter and recovery scams: staff will not ask for money, will not guarantee returns and will not offer to claw back prior losses for a charge. Yet victims of broker fraud keep reporting callers who borrow the FINRA name, invent case numbers and demand a small “conversion” or “transfer” payment first. Pay that, and another fee appears. The recovered sum never does.
Check any claim on finra.org contact channels you typed yourself — not on a number in the chat. Legitimate paths after investment harm run through complaints, arbitration where it applies, and ordinary police reports, not prepaid money transfers. For the wider second-hit pattern see Fake recovery.
If this sounds familiar, start at Get help. If someone is already selling a paid “fix”, read Fake recovery before you send another fee.
This article is for general information only. It is not legal or financial advice. Details change. If you have lost money, contact your bank or card issuer and use the routes on the help pages.