While you feel that you may be a victim of possible securities fraud as an investor, you must first determine whether securities fraud has actually has occurred, or whether you can provide that securities fraud occurred. Many times, securities fraud goes undetected, at least until an investor starts to experience serious investment losses. As an investor, you are aware of the fact that the market commonly has upswings and downturns; investment losses as a result of downward market trends do not necessarily equal securities fraud. If you have experienced a larger investment loss that does not equate with market trends, however, it is worth consulting with a professional experienced in securities fraud in order to determine whether you are a possible victim of securities fraud. Some of the warning signs of securities fraud include a lack of contact with your broker, a lack of familiarity with the transactions listed on your account statements, a dramatic drop in the value of the stocks that you own, seemingly high risk transactions and investments by your broker, and higher capital gains taxes, despite lower account values.