The government organization responsible for overseeing trading in commodities has issued a warning about a precious metals scam that's hooking scores of gullible investors.
Recent surges in the price of gold have attracted inexperienced speculators into the metals and currency markets, in their quest for high returns and quick profits.
Most sane investors know that the promise of fast, juicy profits is either laden with high risks or, even worse, a scam.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Outrageous Ways Your Phone Company May Be Stealing from You
Alternet / by David Rosen and Bruce Kushnick
A growing number of scams are being perpetrated on telephone and Internet customers. Think you can easily identify bogus charges on your bill? Good luck.
Cramming, slamming and ramming are three of a growing number of scams being perpetrated on unaware telephone, wireless and Internet customers.
In simplest terms, the major scams are defined as follows:
* Cramming is the illegal practice of placing unauthorized charges on your local, long-distance or wireless telephone bill, usually by a third party not known to the customer.
* Slamming is the illegal practice of switching a telephone customer’s long-distance service provider to another carrier without the customer’s permission.
These scams have been around for years but continue to be replayed on unwitting telephone customers. However, the newest scam, ramming, adds a new dimension to the game.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet / by David Rosen and Bruce Kushnick
A growing number of scams are being perpetrated on telephone and Internet customers. Think you can easily identify bogus charges on your bill? Good luck.
Cramming, slamming and ramming are three of a growing number of scams being perpetrated on unaware telephone, wireless and Internet customers.
In simplest terms, the major scams are defined as follows:
* Cramming is the illegal practice of placing unauthorized charges on your local, long-distance or wireless telephone bill, usually by a third party not known to the customer.
* Slamming is the illegal practice of switching a telephone customer’s long-distance service provider to another carrier without the customer’s permission.
These scams have been around for years but continue to be replayed on unwitting telephone customers. However, the newest scam, ramming, adds a new dimension to the game.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet / by David Rosen and Bruce Kushnick
Doors Open Ever Wider to Cyberstalking
From control freaks who want to drive you nuts, through weirdos obsessed with you, to thieves waiting to burglarize your home, cyberstalking fiends surround us.
And their main allies? You.
Yes, that's right; the information you give away about yourself and your location is exactly what they need to watch you or for online harassment.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
And their main allies? You.
Yes, that's right; the information you give away about yourself and your location is exactly what they need to watch you or for online harassment.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
NETWORKING: MORE THAN JUST CHATTER C.J. Hayden, MCC
"I spend a lot of time networking, but I don't see many results from it." I hear this complaint frequently from independent professionals who are hoping that their networking activities will produce clients. It used to be that my clients and students would complain about unproductive networking in the form of attending mixers or scheduling coffee meetings. But now I often hear them voice the same dissatisfaction with social networking online.
At the same time, many experienced, successful professionals claim that networking is one of the primary ways they continually build their business. When you see successful people continue to network -- online and off -- you have to figure that they must get some value from it, or why keep doing it?
If I had to name one factor that I think makes the most difference between productive and unproductive networking, it would be the "chatter quotient." People who are good at networking and produce results from it don't just "chat" with their contacts. They have meaningful, relevant, focused exchanges. But people who network without much to show for it seem to spend a lot more time just chatting -- in person, by phone, and online.
Chatting has its place in social interaction. Small talk about the weather, the traffic, or the local team's last game can be a safe way to begin a conversation. Asking about your contacts' family, hobby, or last vacation lets them know you remember them and shows your interest. But conversations that consist of nothing but this type of chat are unlikely to produce many clients.
Networking online follows the same pattern. If your social networking posts are limited to what movie you last saw, the new car you're considering, and how you spent your Sunday afternoon, clients are not likely to result. Occasional posts about your personal life, just like small talk, have their place in letting people get to know you. But you've got to get beyond chatting to get business.
Productive networking consists of meaningful, relevant, focused conversations and online exchanges. Here are a few examples of what this sounds like.
Questions to ask others:
* Tell me about your work/current goals/challenges you're facing.
* Who/what would be a good client/helpful resource for you?
* What is exciting you in your business/career/life right now?
* What can I do to help you?
Topics to discuss about your own work:
* This is how I help my clients.
* Here's an example of someone I was able to assist.
* This is who would be a good client for me.
* Here's how you will know when someone needs my help.
Topics to post about online:
* Here's a useful resource for you.
* This is something I'm doing you might find valuable.
* Here's a success one of my clients had.
* I need some assistance -- can anyone help?
What topics like these allow you to do is demonstrate your expertise, showcase yourself as a competent professional, and let people know what you need so they can help. By asking others about their work and needs, you learn where you might fit in, and how to build an element of reciprocity with your networking contacts.
Before beginning any networking activity or conversation, pause for a moment and ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. Would you like to meet potential clients at that mixer? If so, what do you need to ask to know if someone might be a client? Do you want to get referrals as a result of that coffee date? Then what does that person need to learn about you in order to refer appropriately?
When you're networking online, what is the image you're trying to project? If you want people to perceive you as competent, or savvy, or reliable, what could you post about that would reinforce those perceptions? What topics might allow potential clients or referral sources to learn more about how your work can benefit them or someone they know?
If you're ready to make use of networking as the powerful tool it can be to meaningfully connect with others and build your business, it's time to get beyond the chatter.
Copyright © 2009, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
At the same time, many experienced, successful professionals claim that networking is one of the primary ways they continually build their business. When you see successful people continue to network -- online and off -- you have to figure that they must get some value from it, or why keep doing it?
If I had to name one factor that I think makes the most difference between productive and unproductive networking, it would be the "chatter quotient." People who are good at networking and produce results from it don't just "chat" with their contacts. They have meaningful, relevant, focused exchanges. But people who network without much to show for it seem to spend a lot more time just chatting -- in person, by phone, and online.
Chatting has its place in social interaction. Small talk about the weather, the traffic, or the local team's last game can be a safe way to begin a conversation. Asking about your contacts' family, hobby, or last vacation lets them know you remember them and shows your interest. But conversations that consist of nothing but this type of chat are unlikely to produce many clients.
Networking online follows the same pattern. If your social networking posts are limited to what movie you last saw, the new car you're considering, and how you spent your Sunday afternoon, clients are not likely to result. Occasional posts about your personal life, just like small talk, have their place in letting people get to know you. But you've got to get beyond chatting to get business.
Productive networking consists of meaningful, relevant, focused conversations and online exchanges. Here are a few examples of what this sounds like.
Questions to ask others:
* Tell me about your work/current goals/challenges you're facing.
* Who/what would be a good client/helpful resource for you?
* What is exciting you in your business/career/life right now?
* What can I do to help you?
Topics to discuss about your own work:
* This is how I help my clients.
* Here's an example of someone I was able to assist.
* This is who would be a good client for me.
* Here's how you will know when someone needs my help.
Topics to post about online:
* Here's a useful resource for you.
* This is something I'm doing you might find valuable.
* Here's a success one of my clients had.
* I need some assistance -- can anyone help?
What topics like these allow you to do is demonstrate your expertise, showcase yourself as a competent professional, and let people know what you need so they can help. By asking others about their work and needs, you learn where you might fit in, and how to build an element of reciprocity with your networking contacts.
Before beginning any networking activity or conversation, pause for a moment and ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. Would you like to meet potential clients at that mixer? If so, what do you need to ask to know if someone might be a client? Do you want to get referrals as a result of that coffee date? Then what does that person need to learn about you in order to refer appropriately?
When you're networking online, what is the image you're trying to project? If you want people to perceive you as competent, or savvy, or reliable, what could you post about that would reinforce those perceptions? What topics might allow potential clients or referral sources to learn more about how your work can benefit them or someone they know?
If you're ready to make use of networking as the powerful tool it can be to meaningfully connect with others and build your business, it's time to get beyond the chatter.
Copyright © 2009, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Flipping Real Estate Becomes a Flopping Scam
A new and unsavory side to the nation's real estate crisis has emerged during the past few months in the shape of "flopping" -- the opposite of flipping real estate, which we saw back in the boom days.
It's a scam. And, though it may not always involve breaking the law, real estate flopping could be costing struggling homeowners many thousands of dollars each year and further damaging their credit records.
Click here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
It's a scam. And, though it may not always involve breaking the law, real estate flopping could be costing struggling homeowners many thousands of dollars each year and further damaging their credit records.
Click here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
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