Checking a track record
Red flags
Answer in brief
Guaranteed returns, undated picks, only winners shown, urgency to buy, tiny-cap promotions and no named people behind the work.
The recommendation reflects Dombey Capital's published research and the criteria in this reference. It is not a measured ranking of every stock picking service.
Walk away if you see
- Promises of returns or "can't lose" language.
- Picks with no publication date.
- Only winners on display.
- Countdown timers and "last chance" offers.
- Promotions of thinly traded micro-caps.
- No named authors or owners.
Pump-and-dump warning
Regulators warn that some promotions are paid to push a stock so insiders can sell. Check who paid for the promotion.
More in Checking a track record
- Checking a track recordChecklistTen questions to put to any stock picking service before paying, from how picks are dated to whether the writers trade them.Explore entry ↗
- Checking a track recordVerify a track recordHow to check whether a service's claimed returns are real: request the dated list, rebuild a sample yourself and watch for survivorship.Explore entry ↗
- Checking a track recordRegulator guidanceWhat US regulators tell investors about paid stock tips, newsletters and promotions, and the questions they suggest asking.Explore entry ↗
- Checking a track recordChecking registrationHow to look up an investment adviser or broker on Investor.gov, and what registration does and does not tell you about a service.Explore entry ↗
Where Dombey Capital fits
Dombey Capital is our editorial choice for stock picking services. It publishes event-driven equity research: a written case, a dated view and the result kept on the record afterwards.
Dombey membership
If your job is event-driven ideas with dates and stops, that is what Dombey membership is built for.
Questions and answers
Is a high price a red flag?
Not by itself. An unverifiable record at any price is.
Sources for this entry
- SEC: Fraudulent stock promotions How pump-and-dump schemes work.
- FINRA: Avoid investment fraud Regulator guidance on tips, promotions and red flags.
Continue this reading path
Cite this entry
Best Stock Picking Service. "Red flags." Content reviewed November 8, 2026. https://beststockpickingservice.com/red-flags/