Secretary of State Brian Kemp is warning Georgians to carefully research their investments.

Kemp said Georgia consumers should do business only with licensed brokers and investment advisers and should report any suspicion of investment fraud to his office.

Kemp pointed consumers to the North American Securities Administrators Association, which has released its annual list of financial products and practices that threaten to trap investors troubled by lingering economic uncertainty and volatile stock markets.

The Georgia Secretary of State's Office is a member of the association.

Additional information is available on the Georgia Secretary of State's Securities and Business Regulation Division website at www.sos.ga.gov/securities or by calling 404-656-3920.

Residents can also file a complaint against a securities firm or investment adviser on the Securities and Business Regulation Division website.