scams

Not a myth this time: Did you buy Woodbridge notes?

 About 2-3 years ago I was pitched a very secure-sounding real estate play by Woodbridge.  It quacked like a securities duck, though, so I checked with the Oregon Dept. of Finance and Corporate Securities (now the Division of Financial Regulation)  to see if it was registered for sale here.  Nope.  So I sent them all […]

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Propaganda is Obvious

Because it is excellent, I’ve cut and pasted from a fascinating- and chilling -article by Berit Anderson and Brett Horvath from scout.ai  If you wanted reasons to spend less time on line, well here you go.  The full article is at https://scout.ai/story/the-rise-of-the-weaponized-ai-propaganda-machine  This is a must read.  Thanks Tom Civiletti for your post.The upshot:  political, social

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Annuity Salespeople Are All Honest & Competent Because of Special Licensing

I don’t think I have to remind you that this post heading is a MYTH.  What’s astonishing with the case below is not so much the jaw-dropping audacity of the crook but the carelessness of his victims.  Here’s the story, according to an article by Marlene Y. Satter in ThinkAdvisor.  (See my Do’s & Don’ts

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Annuity Salespeople Are All Honest & Competent Because of Special Licensing

I don’t think I have to remind you that this post heading is a MYTH.  What’s astonishing with the case below is not so much the jaw-dropping audacity of the crook but the carelessness of his victims.  Here’s the story, according to an article by Marlene Y. Satter in ThinkAdvisor.  (See my Dos & Don’ts

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Annuity Salespeople Are All Honest & Competent Because of Special Licensing

I don’t think I have to remind you that this post heading is a MYTH.  What’s astonishing with the case below is not so much the jaw-dropping audacity of the crook but the carelessness of his victims.  Here’s the story, according to an article by Marlene Y. Satter in ThinkAdvisor.  (See my Dos & Don’ts

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IRS Makes It Easy to Pay Your Federal Student Tax On The Phone

Well, that’s a myth.  There is no such thing as a “Federal Student Tax ” (other than the larcenous interest rates they charge students)  But here are some recent things scammers do that IRS definitely will NOT do: Demanding immediate tax payment for taxes owed on an iTunes gift card. Soliciting W-2 information from payroll

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8 to 10% Is A Reasonable Expected Rate of Return

Reminder:  These Financial Myths Headings are Myths. No.  8-10% is not a reasonable rate of return, even though national investment “superstars” still claim that it is.Here in Oregon, that point has been driven home . . . again, unfortunately, by Aequitas Management.  The article that follows is long but instructive.  (Thank you Advanced Regulatory Compliance,

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THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

This blog heading is colloquially true, especially when it comes to Investment Adviser contracts.  A recent review of compliance violations found- first of all- that 22% of advisers didn’t have contracts with their clients.  A contract isn’t required unless a fee of some kind is collected from or owed by a client.  So if you

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Seven Steps for Making Identity Protection Routine

Ok, this is NOT a myth.  These steps come verbatum from the ever-helpful IRS. RS Security Awareness Tax Tip Number 3, December 7, 2015                                Español The theft of your identity, especially personal information such as your name, Social Security number, address and children’s names, can be traumatic and frustrating. In this online era, it’s important

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RELAX, IRS has eliminated Fraud

Wish this was true, but it’s yet another Financial Myth.  You can read the whole article here, or, my abridged version below.http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-Taxpayers-to-Guard-Against-New-Tricks-by-Scam-Artists It’s good to know the 5 things IRS will not do: Angrily demand immediate payment over the phone, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill. Threaten

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