The SEC's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy issued another alert about Imperia Invest IBC, which allegedly defrauded more than 14,000 investors worldwide.  In late 2010, the SEC froze Imperia's assets freeze.  The SEC found that Imperia raised more than $7 million, $4mn of which from deaf investors in the U.S.  Tuesday's updated alert is intended to warn investors - including deaf investors - of advance fee fraud schemes involving companies with names similar to "Imperia." 

Here's how the scheme works:  an investor is asked to pay a fee up front (before receiving any proceeds, money, stock or warrants) before a deal goes through. This fee is sometimes described as a processing fee, commission, regulatory tax or some other seemingly benign expense.

Investors are reminded to do their own due diligence before investing with a firm, including making sure that firms, brokers and products are registered with the SEC and/or state securities regulators.   For further details, and to access this and earlier alerts, go to:   [SEC.gov, 8/23/11]