But trading penny stocks is also a good way to lose money. And worse: manipulators and scammers often run the penny-stock game. So penny-stock trading thrives. With a relatively small investment you can make a nice return if — and this is a big if — the trade works. Penny stock promoters make sure to attach a disclaimer to their email, Twitter, or Facebook page, and take advantage of this language to embellish and deceive. Read more: Stock touts prey on investors’ inflation fears. Penny stocks and their promoters also tend to stay one step ahead of securities regulators, though just last month the Securities and Exchange Commission charged a Florida-based firm, First Resource Group LLC, with penny-stock manipulation.