CHOOSE A TOPIC PENN. SECURITIES FRAUD PROGRAM PYRAMID SCAMS & CHAIN LETTERS BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU ALERTS CONSUMER FRAUD PROTECTION DEFRAUDED INVESTORS ONLINE SCAMS

WHEN YOU BUY AN INVESTMENT PRODUCT OR FINANCIAL SERVICE - BEWARE! by Bill Baker, J.D. Before you purchase any investment product or financial service, arm yourself with information, ask questions, and don't buy until you compare! Be skeptical, and remember, if something sounds too good to be true it usually is. The World Wide Web (WWW) is an excellent source of instant information about investments and financial services that you can consult before making an investment. Search around and familiarize yourself with the consumer protection and other investment information resources offered by the WWW. Bookmark the web pages of government agencies, consumer groups, and businesses providing information about investments and financial services. BECOME AN INFORMATION CONNOISSEUR In today's "information age" we are all bombarded with massive amounts of data. Information is power and companies are spending billions of dollars each year to harness this power. The best example of this rush to flood consumers with information and make sales is the current "phone wars" taking place between AT&T, Sprint, and MCI. It is almost impossible to turn on your T.V., open a newspaper, listen to a radio, or "surf the net" without seeing an ad from one of these companies telling you how good their service is or how one of their competitors is lying about their rates or the quality of their service. When you receive information about an investment or financial service ask yourself what the source of information is and why it is being presented? These questions are almost as important as the information itself. When information is being presented to sell you a product or service there is a bias built into it. It's up to you to separate fact from fiction or "puffing". When making a purchase decision, the information you receive can fall into one of three categories. These three categories of information are: (1). COMPANY SPONSORED, BIASED INFORMATION- investment and financial services companies spend billions of dollars each year filtering, spinning, and otherwise putting a gloss on information in an attempt to attract consumers. (2). SUBJECTIVE INFORMATION - third party opinions about products and services based on "gut" feelings, perception, and gossip. (3). OBJECTIVE, INDEPENDENT "THIRD PARTY" INFORMATION - This is information based upon research, comparison to other similarly situated products and services, as well as actual performance. This type of information is usually made available by independent government agencies, consumer groups, and other independent sources not controlled by the companies offering the products or services being rated. The best way to make sure you are getting the best value for your money is by taking the company sponsored, biased, category (1) information you receive and using category (2) and (3) information to verify it and explore other options. START HERE The links presented on the right side of this page are good starting points for learning about frauds, scams, and other schemes. Use these links as well as internet search engines, such as: Yahoo!, Lycos, or Excite. Thanks for visiting WEBtown's Buyer Beware web page. If you have any comments or suggestions about this web page please send them to us. GO TO THE TOP OF THIS PAGE Copyright © 1996 WM. BAKER ASSOCIATES All Rights Reserved