What Do I Do If My Interactive Brokers Account Has the Wrong Balance?

If you have an active Interactive Brokers account, you're probably checking it a lot to see how your investments are doing. If your account showed the wrong balance when you last did that, you are probably eager to find out what the problem is and if there's anything you can do about it. Read on to learn what to do.

Contact Interactive Brokers

There are plenty of possible reasons for the balance issue. For one thing, your investments could simply have lost more money than you expected. Software problems or unexpected side effects from updates could do it too. You may have been hit with a fee you didn't know to expect.

There's no better way to find out than by asking an Interactive Brokers customer service representative. They will launch an investigation into the problem. Odds are that it will be quickly resolved to your satisfaction. You can talk to an Interactive Brokers representative by phone, email, or on the help forum.

File a Complaint With FINRA

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, is a private corporation that serves as a self-regulatory body for the U.S. securities industry. If you are not happy with Interactive Brokers' findings, you have the right to file a FINRA complaint. Take these steps:

1. Navigate to FINRA's Investor Complaint Form.
2. Indicate the kind of complaint you are filing using the Primary Violation menu.
3. Enter a figure for the amount of missing money.
4. Enter a start and end date.
5. Check the right boxes to answer the questions.
6. Write out a summary of your complaint in the text field provided.
7. Click on Next.
8. Answer the questions about Interactive Brokers.
9. Answer the questions about you.
10. Submit the completed complaint form.

File a Complaint With the SEC

The SEC, or U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, is the government agency that regulates the U.S. securities industry. Take these steps to file an SEC complaint:

1. Navigate to the SEC's investor complaint form.
2. Click the "Yes, send the form to the firm or company" button. If you don't, the SEC will not investigate your complaint.
3. Enter your personal information.
4. Enter Interactive Brokers' information.
5. Answer the questions about investment.
6. Summarize your complaint in the text field provided.
7. Answer the questions about documents you can use as evidence.
8. Summarize the steps you have already taken to resolve the problem.
9. Check the CAPTCHA.
Click the Submit Form button.