Whos Calling?

Its dinnertime and the phone rings. It's Joe Noname with SuchNSuch Investment Company and has he got a deal for you.

Joe wants to be friendly and engage you in a few not-too-personal questions just to break the ice before he gets into his too-good-too-be-true pitch. Stock, oil, Internet, telecommunications, you name it.

Joe tells you about his company's credentials and how they are "affiliated" with some big New York bank or investment house - a name that everyone knows and trusts. And Joe also wants you to know how experienced he is and he came from a big, well-known brokerage house because this deal was too good to pass up and he wanted everyone to know about it. He has even bought shares in it himself. And pigs can fly!

He carefully mixes truth with unsubstantiated material, which appears to be fact. His company is registered (probably true) and approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (lie, they don't approve of any company) and is affiliated with AT&T or Bill Gates (a lie, but very hard to check out). He interweaves little lies and big ones so it all sounds credible.

This investment is so good it is underwritten by the big brokerage house Morgan Stanley and guaranteed by MCI or some other big name. Furthermore, we guarantee your investment because you are paid first before any dividends are paid to any other shareholder. This is a "no-risk" investment. The last time our company had one of the high quality investments all the investors made 500% on their money in less than 18 months. Isn't that great! I wish I had some of the first offering; I'd be rich now. Joe will probably quote you some stock offering like Yahoo or Intel that did make this kind of return or even more, but you can be assured this company had nothing to do with it.

"Mr. Mushroom, don't miss out on this as there are only a limited number of shares my company is allowing me to offer. How much cash do you have you would like to make 500% on at this time? $5,000. I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll reserve a thousand shares for you and give you the option to pick up another 10,000 shares any time in the next 30 days provided you can wire in the first $5,000 immediately." Be careful of any offer where they must have the cash now, immediately, before yesterday. Or Joe is going to send you papers via FedX and you must return them immediately. And always kiss your money goodbye before you send it because that is the last time you will ever see it.

Ask for their address. If it is a P.O. box you know it is a scam. Whatever he tells you make sure it is not one of those mailbox businesses. Joe is either in a boiler room or calling you from home. Get his office phone number and home number. Ask him where he got your name.

In a nutshell here is what you want to listen for: The return is illogical (too good), his credentials are uncheckable, the names he drops are almost impossible to verify, it is a "no-risk" deal, they won't give you time to check them out (FedX) and you really don't know where they are located.

When Joe Noname calls I am polite and firm and just, very quickly, even before he gets into his pitch, say, "Thanks for the call, Joe, but I'm not interested" and I immediately hang up. Joe prefers this also because now he can go on to the next sucker.

Please, don't ever send money to a voice on the phone.

Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.

1-888-345-7870; http://www.mutualfundmagic.com

same day cleaning service Bannockburn ..

In The News:

Google is making a push to ensure its AI, Gemini, is tightly integrated with Android systems by granting it access to core apps like WhatsApp, Messages, and Phone.

A new green energy system is set to change how we capture clean power, and it all starts with the ocean. French startup Seaturns has designed technology that taps into the natural motion of the sea.

Cybersecurity researchers are warning that hackers have started exploiting flaws in chatbots to carry out AI phishing attacks.

Google has just made it easier than ever to regain control of your inbox with Gmail's new Manage Subscriptions tool.

Despite the benefits, residential power saver programs come with several potential drawbacks and concerns that have been raised by both customers and experts.

The Blackdot AI tattoo machine is quiet. It's steady. And according to early users, it hurts a lot less.

Attackers have started to exploit the very signals that users assume will keep them safe when it comes to add-ons to improve productivity or entertainment.

Located on Cerro Pachón in Chile, the world's most powerful digital camera is set to transform how we see the universe.

The innovative DQ Tower stands 28 feet tall with 420 square feet of living space, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and premium amenities in a prefabricated design.

A new mmWave imaging system allows warehouse robots to scan and create 3D models of objects inside sealed containers, potentially revolutionizing shipping processes.

Family fraud endangers seniors when relatives exploit their trust, but removing personal data online and monitoring identity can prevent financial harm to aging parents.

A study analyzing 500,000 customer service interactions shows chatbots struggle with complex issues while human agents excel at matching customer communication styles.

Aigen's Element robot uses solar power and AI to provide farmers with a sustainable alternative to herbicides, working efficiently in cotton and soy fields.

The new Tesla Oasis Supercharger features 11 megawatts of solar panels and 39 megawatt-hours of battery storage, making it one of the largest solar-powered EV stations worldwide.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Cybercriminals accessed Medicare data of more than 100,000 Americans by creating fraudulent accounts, prompting CMS to deactivate accounts and issue new Medicare cards.

China's battery swap technology from CATL lets electric vehicle owners exchange batteries in under two minutes, with plans to expand to 1,000 stations across 31 Chinese cities by 2025.

Analysts at Silent Push have uncovered a widespread scam that uses counterfeit retail websites to steal the credit card information of online shoppers.

Chrome users need to update their browsers immediately as Google addresses a critical vulnerability that hackers are actively exploiting. Additional security measures are recommended.

A study found teens glance at phones for dangerous two-second intervals while driving, using devices primarily for entertainment, texting and navigation despite crash risks.

Security researchers uncovered a flaw in Windows 11 that allows attackers to disable Secure Boot using Microsoft-signed tools, requiring manual updates to protect against bootkits.

Carnegie Mellon's noninvasive brain technology allows users to move robotic fingers by thinking about the motion, offering new possibilities for people with motor impairments.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts. Instead of relying only on a password, MFA requires you to verify your identity using two or more methods.

Scientists from Duke, Harvard, and the University of Otago have unveiled a game-changing tool called DunedinPACNI. It uses a single AI brain scan to reveal how fast a person is biologically aging.

A disturbing wave of fake agent phone scams is sweeping across the United States, catching people off guard and draining their savings.

Whos Calling?

Stocks & Mutual Fund