Securities involve documents that represent an interest or a right in something else;

they are not consumed or used in the same way as traditional consumer goods. Government regulation of consumer goods attempts to protect consumers from dangerous articles, misleading advertising or illegal pricing practices.

Securities laws, on the other hand, attempt to ensure that investors have an informed and clear idea concerning the product they are purchasing and, above all, its use and value.
Types of securities include notes, stocks, treasury stocks, bonds, debentures, certificates of interest or participation in profit-sharing agreements, collateral-trust certificates, preorganization certificates or subscriptions, transferable shares, investment contracts, voting-trust certificates, certificates of deposit for security, and a fractional undivided interest in gas, oil, or other mineral rights.