ScamWatch Articles
These articles orginally appeared in the Traverse City Record Eagle's Outlook for Active Living.
It’s always hunting season on seniors! A number of years ago I had a client who owned a telemarketing company. His single largest client was a National Fire Fighters Association. Read Article
Check twice before you double click that mouse
How to avoid scams and rip-offs – part II In my last article I focused mainly on consumer scams that seniors faced, part II will center on financial scams being used right now. Read Article
Summertime and the Scamming is Easy Just like all of us who have been suffering from cabin fever this winter, the scam artist also looks forward to being able to get out into the sunshine and ply his trade. Read Article
New hybrid Certificate of Deposits not all they’re hyped up to be One of my “Snowbird” clients called me from Florida and asked me what I knew about Equity-indexed CD’s. Read Article
Where have all the Pennies gone? After a rather spicy lunch at a TC restaurant I was really in need of a breath mint before I could face my next client. As I paid my bill I noticed on the counter a collection box selling mints in the name of a well known charity. Read Article
Beware of Double Dipping Advisors As reported in the Detroit Free Press, John Hermann is a down state attorney who has filed a lawsuit in Federal Court on behalf of a 90 year old couple who were sold $1.8 million worth of 10- to 12- year annuities by a firm out of Warren Michigan. Read Article
Internet “Phishing” can hook the big one To most of us fishing refers to casting out a line and hoping to catch a fish. To the identity thief “Phishing” refers to casting out hundreds of thousands of bogus and misleading e-mails and web sites to land your personal and financial infor Read Article
Investing in the grim reaper Most of us have never heard of Viatical Settlements or Life/Senior Settlements yet almost every state in the Union has a consumer watch posted about investing in them. Read Article
Let’s get ready to play the family fraud Recently I addressed a wonderful audience of Senior citizens to talk about current frauds and scams. On each table there was a sheet which introduced me, our topic and asked that they fill out the form below to be eligible for the door prize. Read Article
Tis the Season to be Wary Throughout the year we all find ourselves being solicited for a donation to this charity or that charity, all seem like worthy causes but during the holiday season we are inundated with letters, phone calls and Emails from every type of charity you can th Read Article
The legend of Area Code 809 I received an e-mail the other day which warned me about responding to any fax's, e-mails or phone calls from anyone with a phone number beginning with area code 809 Read Article
Don't forget to read the fine print About once a week I receive a check in the mail which ranges from $3.00 to $8.00 depending on the service being offered. Read Article
Counterfeit drugs and name brand confusion are cause for alarm As prescription drug prices continue to go up many consumers are still scrambling to find a way to control their out of pocket expenses. Read Article