Personal readiness
- Can I afford to lose the money involved?
- Have I paid essential bills and accounted for debt commitments?
- Do I understand how the product works without relying on marketing copy?
- Have I considered whether regulated advice is appropriate?
Firm and product checks
- Can I verify the firm using official sources?
- Is the domain, address and contact information consistent?
- Are fees, withdrawal rules and complaint routes clear?
- Are there any incentives, urgency tactics or unrealistic claims?
Record keeping
Save terms, risk warnings, fee information, identity of the firm, correspondence and payment records. Good records help if you later need to complain or report a concern.