Muscat – The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has launched a public awareness campaign warning investors about the risks of dealing with unlicensed entities offering services related to shares, bonds, sukuk and other financial instruments.

Through the campaign, the authority cautioned that engaging with unlicensed financial providers could expose individuals to fraud, loss of funds and the absence of legal protection. It aims to raise public awareness on safe investment practices and encourage investors to verify the legitimacy of financial institutions before conducting any transactions.

According to the authority, dealing with unlicensed entities may lead to the disclosure of personal and financial data to unreliable parties, exposure to fraudulent schemes promising unrealistic returns, and the loss of investments without any legal safeguards for investors’ rights.

The campaign emphasises that investors should always ensure that the entity offering financial services is licensed and regulated before buying or selling securities or participating in investment schemes.

The authority also urged the public to use its official channels to check the list of licensed entities operating in the sultanate, stressing that verifying the status of financial service providers is a key step in protecting investments and avoiding financial fraud.

The awareness drive is part of FSA’s ongoing efforts to promote transparency, enhance investor protection and boost confidence in the sultanate’s financial sector.