An option contract gives the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset at a specific price on or before a certain date. An option on a stock or bond is a security, while that on a futures contract is not, so that the body of applicable regulation changes depending on the underlying asset. Options abuse is a fertile area for customer complaints, and conceptions such as churning or unauthorized trading apply here although techniques for analysis may vary depending on the nature of the underlying asset.