Surf The Net, Walk Dangerously
Don’t you know that while you’re surfing the Net, you’re like walking dangerously? Dangers abound — avoid these menaces by getting yourself familiar with them. Get yourself aware with these landmines that litter the internet.
Are you new on the internet? You will get invitations as fast as you can say yes. You’re surely come across pop-up advertisements or e-mail messages inviting you to join a program and you will receive rewards or will make you rich.
I believe that there is really this dark side of cyberspace. And the American watchdog, the Federal Trade Commission has warned and has listed these scams that are most likely to arrive in your e-mail inbox.
Here are some of them:
- Bulk E-Mails. This is considered spamming. Internet service providers prohibit their users to send bulk e-mails. This scam will send you e-mail offering from a list of e-mail addresses. This is by the millions, where you can send your own bulk solicitations. With the promise of scammers that this will make you rich. And they will offer you the service of sending bulk e-mail solicitations on your behalf. Or software will be offered to you that will automate the sending of e-mail to hundreds or even millions of recipients.
- Business Opportunities. This is an illegal pyramid scheme. Scammers will entice you to start a business without investing on it, without much work and promises lots of income. That you’ll receive cash without selling anything and someone will do it for you.
- Chain Letters. Don’t believe it. Chain letters are only chain letters, there are no valuable in them. You’ll be ask a small amount of money, let’s say $5, to each names on a list, replace one of the names on the list with your own. Then you will be instructed to send the revised e-mail via bulk.
- Work-At-Home Schemes. You’ll pay a small fee to get started. A promise of income while you stuff envelopes at home. But you will be offered to buy supplies or even equipment. Spammers promise to buy those later, but never will.
- Health And Diet Scams. These are pure gimmicks. Scammers will brag about their herbal formulas and pills. About cures for hair loss and impotence. Believe me, this will never ever work.
- Effortless Income. This is what they call, get-rich-quick schemes. This will give you promises of unlimited profits or income. Newsletters with a variety of easy-money opportunities, exchanging money on world markets. The perfect sales letter — the secret to making $4 million in one day! Hahaha.
- Free Goods. Another form of pyramid schemes. The scammers will get all the money — little or none at all goes to people who pay to participate. You’ll receive e-mail messages offering valuable goods, such as computers, phone cards or electronic items. You’ll be asked to pay a fee to join a club and you have to bring in a certain number of participants.
- Vacation Prize Promos. An electronic certificate will be received, congratulating you on winning a grand vacation for a very attractive price. Believe me, the cruise ship you will be book on may look like a tugboat. Huh!
Don’t allow yourself to be a victim of these landmines that litters the internet.
Crash Of The US Economy
Slowing US Economy
Companies will be forced into bankruptcy. And so their valuations and stock prices are falling down across the board. There will be belt tightening this coming year for workers and their dependents.
The heart of financial system of America will announce a painful write-off of loan accounts. Hedge funds will be closing its doors and equity funds will have a disappointing report on returns. Interest rates are set by people who run financial institutions — Central Bank.
Is the US economy aging? Slowing down? Is this the beginning of the crash of US economy? Are the US economic planners to blame? The one that benefited from this is the Bush Family, who is with an insider government connection — Carlyle Group.
The US economy, weighted down by the subprime credit crisis that started in the middle of the year. The global investment banks ended on losses, disastrous note, layoffs and marred by profit warnings. The signs are clear, indeed there is slowing and aging of US Economy.
There is a slowdown in the US economy and one of the reasons is the tight competition among exporters. There is an anemic performance of exports in the first 10 months, short of meeting the target. Government should protect our exporters.
There should be overhaul and reform to get back our economy on the right tract. The real cause of this crisis is monetary. Income assurance policy should be set-up for the benefit and welfare of every citizen of this country. Or should we say “In God We Trust”.
Happy New Year to All!
The Danger of Plastics
It is with regret that some companies or stores still use plastics to sell or promote their products and services. Manufacturers use plastic in packaging since manufacture of plastics is cheaper than making paper and ceramics, thus increase their profit. This is clear detrimental to the safety and health of their customers. And this is purely trading safety for convenience.
This Christmas Season, let me share something that is truly helpful and healthful to you and your love ones especially your children:
- Avoid microwaving in plastic containers. When heating your food this Christmas, use ceramic or glass. When plastic is used, heat release chemicals into food.
- Store you food in ceramic containers. Metal canisters made for cold and hot food, brown paper bags and waxed paper may be used as alternatives too.
- Avoid cling-wraps. Use paper instead. Most cling-wraps used by grocery stores contain high level of PVC or polyvinyl chloride.
- If you can’t avoid plastics, limit your exposure to it. If you buy food in plastic, transfer it into a friendly container once you get home.
- Look for PVC-free brands of plastics. Plastic containers come with label, those triangles with numbers inside and found at the bottom. Avoid numbers 3, 6 and 7. The safest are 1, 2 and 5. These are the type of plastics used in soda and water bottles.
This Christmas season, enjoy the holidays by not adding to the sky high profits of these companies that don’t care about the welfare and safety their valued customers.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
How to avoid Telemarketing Fraud
Are you a victim of crime of persuasions, schemes, scams and frauds — Telemarketing fraud?
What is Telemarketing Fraud? Telemarketing fraud is defined simply by the principle medium of contact used to perpetrate the fraud. Legitimate businesses use the same “tools” to sell their products, so consumers need to know the warning signs associated with telemarketing fraud. They should not be, but are often confused with legitimate telemarketing operations. At present, The Federal Trade Commission estimates that there are more than of 14,000 fraudulent telemarketing businesses operate in North America alone.
Operations may consist of a single individual in a makeshift and portable office facility set up with a bank of phones. There are two kinds of calls namely:
- Outbound calls. When calls have not been preceded with promotional materials but are made from lists of leads or at random.
- Inbound calls. If consumers are encouraged or induced to call a number on their own.
A number of these operations take extraordinary measures to increase the difficulty of successful investigation and prosecution. These measures include
- Using cell phones. It is sometimes in conjunction with prepaid “calling cards”, which can be discarded after several weeks of intensive use.
- Using stolen identity cards. These stolen cards are being used to open mail drops for receipt of payments that victims mail to them
- Using multiple mail drops. Shuttle victim-related mail through multiple destinations
- Impersonation of FBI and Customs agents or RCMP officers. To make victims believe that law enforcement is already aware of their losses
- Contracting with other telemarketing “boiler rooms”. Are small sales offices that can spring up and close down overnight. The only desk furniture is a telephone
- Laundering. Laundering of fraud proceeds through foreign bank accounts.
Targets tend to be poor, often elderly people and those with a lot of debt and little chance of obtaining credit. Their names may appear on “sucker” lists. These are people with bad credit and heavy debts — lured by the promise of a new card. Companies buy and sell these names.
Detailed below are how to avoid becoming a victim of telemarketing fraud:
- Ask for written information. Salespeople may not explain the complete details of the product and the cost. Legitimate companies will send you the details upfront and never insist that you act immediately.
- Don’t give your credit card or bank account information. There is no reason why the company would need that information for any other purpose.
- Watch out for imposters. Crooks may pretend to be calling on behalf of well-known company or government agency and request payment for product or services rendered, when they have absolutely no connection with them at all and will simply pocket your money.
- Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry. This will reduce the chance that you will be contacted again as your name is sold to other scam artists.
Unwanted telemarketing calls are often triggered by responding to unwanted paper junk mail. Reduce unwanted junk mail that lead to a number of unwanted telemarketing calls. If you will pay your credit card, do not pay for that item on your credit card bill until you’ve received, examined and are satisfied with your product or price.
Remember that unsolicited telemarketing sales are not final until you have received written confirmation of the sale and you have three days after you receive your written confirmation to cancel an unsolicited telemarketing sale. The good news is, you may be able to undo the damage. Beware!
Income after retirement for today’s seniors
Retired? Or are you planning for retirement. Is there life after retirement? Or income that is after retirement? Let’s face it, the trauma of a retiree is the loss of regular income. Luckily, this can be planned for, with less pain, if one starts early enough. When a former baby boomer reached his retirement age reality takes over. It’s like launching your second life. Designing your life with financial affluence. This includes the planning tools, tips and advice for enjoying life after retirement. Here are the several ways to stay active and make money after retiring for today’s seniors.
- Plan. Retirees typically need at least 70 to 80 percent of their pre-retirement income. Be sure you are on track for a secure retirement. Perhaps you can also look at a Pension Plan to augment your income in the future.
- Make your money last. Be sure to outlive your money. Your money must last as long as you do. Save enough, invest wisely and have a pension life that pays for life.
- Consider working. Older people decide to continue working in some way after retirement. Many continue working because they like their work and enjoy being productive when the real and major reason is financial need.
- Give gift, why not? Gifts help you reduce your taxable estate to a level that is free of federal estate taxes. They don’t have to be related to you. Give away as much as $12,000 to anyone without paying taxes. The gifts are nontaxable. However, don’t give away this money if it will leave you short of funds.
- Homemade money. Your financial needs after retirement can be augmented by your home. The equity in your home can be a source of cash in retirement. And because you don’t want to lose your home in the process, be cautious about it. Borrowing against your home’s value has several advantages:
o Tax deductible. The interest you pay to your loan is tax deductible. Ask your tax advisor.
o Benefit from low interest rate. Interest on loan secured by your home is typically lower than other types of loans.
o Manageable risk. Use the loans instead of cashing in stocks or withdrawing from an IRA prematurely. Remember, both are taxable.
- Social Security. The largest source of income — Social Security provides a strong base for retirement security.
There is no clear cut answer or choice on the best course of action. It makes sense to take less investment risks when you reach retirement. Why not go too far, investing is not really money—but your health — worth its weight in gold.
