FINRA Warns Member Firms of E-Signature Violations

Posted on August 24th, 2022 at 1:35 PM
FINRA Warns Member Firms of E-Signature Violations

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has issued a regulatory notice warning financial advisor firms to closely monitor how advisors utilize third-party digital signature platforms amidst a spike in forgery and falsifications.

While digital signature tools have increased efficiency, they also come with a heightened risk of forgery or falsification, according to FINRA. FINRA noted that firms have reported issues with forged signatures from clients on account opening documents, account activity letters, and internal firm documents. FINRA recommended that firms employ digital signature tools to track Internet Protocol (IP) addresses illustrating where the document was signed. For example, firms have discovered cases where the UP address for the client e-signature and the advisor were the same.

In alternative cases, advisors had sent e-signature documents to their own emails to be signed rather than to the client. FINRA additionally recommended that firms rely on advisor support staff to monitor for potential violations.

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, advisors, law, finra

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

If the regulators are after you, and are trying to make a case against you, and you are going to contest their allegations against you, make sure you have the best securities industry defense lawyers, Eccleston Law Firm. My case was spun into a combination of penalties including fines, cash settlements, CE courses and suspension. They were the best I have seen in action. When all was said and done, they had done their magic, my situation was negotiated and settled with a simple "letter of caution" and a case closed without action. It is the most important legal business decision you will ever make, make it Eccleston Law.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

January 14, 2026
FINRA Fines and Suspends Wells Fargo Advisor Over Fictitious Expense Claims

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) fined and suspended a Wells Fargo Advisors representative in Waco, Texas, after finding that he submitted fictitious business expense claims, according to a FINRA Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) letter.

January 12, 2026
Florida Man Indicted in $36 Million Investment Fraud Scheme

According to news sources, federal prosecutors allege that a Florida man orchestrated a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that funded a luxury lifestyle built on stolen investor money, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

January 9, 2026
FINRA Sanctions Former Wells Fargo Advisor for Profile Falsification and Unauthorized Trading

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) disciplined former Wells Fargo Advisors broker James E. Holmes III for misconduct tied to his falsifying customer information and unauthorized trading.