Interesting articles from Clark Howard's website for November 29, 2008

Interesting articles from Clark Howard’s website for November 29, 2008

Some interesting articles from Clark Howard’s website:

Affinity fraud nets $100 million from the Jewish community

RIP-OFF ALERT: Of all the types of fraud, affinity fraud is one that’s particularly effective because it hinges on dealing with people who are “like you” — hence the name. Human nature dictates that we let our guard down when we’re approached by someone of the same religion, race, profession, etc.

Consider this example: The Wall Street Journal reports that the son of a rabbi stole $100 million from fellow members of the Jewish community after promising to invest it (with huge returns) in “private placements.” Read the full story.

New FTC rules to clamp down on automated calls

All across America, people have filed complaints about the plague of automated calls coming to their homes. The recent surge in “robo-calls” is because they now cost a fraction of a cent to make thanks to the Internet.

The FTC has now issued new rules about robo-calls. Starting just before Christmas, you’ll have an option at the end of a robo-call to press a button that indicates they can no longer call you. Then, beginning in September 2009, companies will actually have to ask for express permission before they even call you. Read the full story.

To litigate or settle out of court?

Callers often ask Clark if they should settle out ourt or wait for a trial judgment in the case of a dispute. Though he isn’t a lawyer, Clark believes it’s often better to try to make of ca deal out of court.

Now the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies confirms that belief. About two-thirds of time, you’ll get less money going to court than you would by taking a settlement offer. Read the full story.

Clark’s tips for dealing with shortage of private school loans

Here’s an important alert if you or someone you know is in college. The student loan market is in a world of hurt right now because of wider economic trends. Private loans are hit-or-miss when it comes to availability.

In essence, the lending spigot is dry. So that means students have to employ extra creativity to remain in school when money isn’t necessarily available. Read the full story.

Bookmark and Share