Financial Scams
As financial scams get more common and devious, Bob Carlson shares his expertise to help subscribers stay up to date
Found 66 Articles.
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Warnings on Reverse Mortgages
We have to wave a yellow flag on reverse mortgages. While good ways for some seniors to tap their home equity, they also are a new and fertile ground for fraud, and new rules make them less attractive. Reverse mortgages are available to people age 62 and older. You receive cash, a stream of payments, […]
The Coming Wave of Scams
The headlines seemed to be filled with investment frauds and scams. Bear markets tend to reveal Ponzi schemes and other frauds. But do not get the impression the scams are only a product of the bull market. Tough times tend to produce more scams than good times, because people are more desperate for help. The […]
Bernard Madoff and Classic Frauds
Most investment frauds, especially Ponzi schemes, last five years or less and steal relatively modest sums. Two of the many remarkable aspects of the Ponzi scheme of Bernard Madoff are that the fraud apparently persisted for decades and cost investors billions of dollars. Yet, many aspects of the scheme are classic, unremarkable features of run-of-the-mill […]
Red Alert for Financial Frauds
The financial crisis means it is time to be on high alert for financial frauds. Scamsters know this is the best environment to find vulnerable targets. I dug through my files recently for a 2004 Wall Street Journal interview with imprisoned scamster Eric Stein. He laid out how frauds operate and why now is a […]
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Senior Protection Moves to the Forefront
Seasoned investors might find reduced opportunities to receive free lunches and other treats. But they will gain better and swifter legal protection. After decades of bearing the brunt of most financial scams, senior Americans are receiving help. Scams that involve possible fraud against senior investors will be on the investigative fast track. The Financial Industry […]
Basic Steps to Limit Vulnerability to ID Theft
There have been changes in our knowledge of ID theft. We know more about the crime than in the past, and there are some new trends. One trend is that the growth rate of the crime is slowing. A few years ago it was by far the fastest-growing crime, with new cases increasing by at […]
Know the Financial Scams that Target Seniors
Older Americans have most of the money, and crooks know that. So do people who operate within the law but beyond the usual definition of ethical, selling people products that aren’t appropriate for them. That is why we have a number of ill-suited financial products specifically pitched at those 55 and over, and especially at […]
Avoiding Scams by Loved Ones
Though it does not get much attention, a high percentage of the scams and thefts perpetrated on older Americans are com-mitted by their loved ones. The number of scams on the elderly and how much money is involved are unknown, but experts suspect that family and friends take advantage of retirees more than strangers do. […]
