If you own shares in a mutual fund (a type of pooled investment account) and the company handling your account suspects someone is financially scamming you—and you're 65 or older, or an adult with a mental or physical condition that leaves you unable to protect your own money—that company can pause your withdrawal request for up to 15 days, and 10 more days if they confirm exploitation is happening, giving time to investigate before money goes out the door. A court or state regulator can extend the delay further if needed, and while the money is held up, it has to sit safely in an account rather than disappear. Companies that use this option have to tell the SEC (the federal agency that oversees stock and investment markets) that they're doing so, and that agency is also required to come up with suggestions for better protecting older or vulnerable adults from this kind of scam in the future.