The Richest Man in Babylon 1

Been a while since my last post - busy, busy, busy.

     One of the main points of this blog is to warn people of financial scams and also how to think critically when it comes to financial planning.  Along the lines of thinking critically, we will be spending the next series of posts analyzing a book written in the early part of the 20th century - "the Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason.

      The book is written in simplistic (and sometimes obnoxious) parables.  However, if you ignore the writing style, the book offers, IMHO, some of the best investment advice and advice on how to handle money ever written. 

     We will be analyzing the principles of this book (as I said, they are not hard to follow) and apply them in terms of fighting fraud.

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Fraud in the Eastern District

Fraud in the Eastern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txe/News/2014/EDTX_WCC_Cornett060314.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Tax Fraud in the Eastern District

Tax fraud in the Eastern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txe/News/2014/EDTX_TAX_Victor061014.html

Always make certain you have a good CPA!

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Interesting Fraud involving death

Alleged fraudster stealing benefits from the Government by not telling the Government this person was dead.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2014%20June/140616%20-%20Davis.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Identity Theft in the Southern District

Identity Theft in the Southern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2014%20June/140616%20-%20Afenkhena.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Tax Fraud in the Southern District

Was out of town on vacation so no stories or links last week.  We will continue with some links this week and begin a new thread next week.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2014%20June/140613%20-%20Oliphant.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Mail Fraud in the Southern District

Very large incident of mail fraud in the Southern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2011%20June/110630%20Lim.htm

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Secrets of Con Artists 9

OK - wrap up this thread.

     What I have been trying to establish with this thread is that con artists have access to information about you and, in the 21st century, it does not take a whole lot of effort to get this information.  Remember that one of the most important, if not THE most important thing a con artist needs to do is to gain a person's CONFIDENCE (hence, of course, the name "con" artist).  There is no better way to gain such confidence then by seeming to know details about a person (or target) even before the target meets the con artist.

      I guess, in the end, this is just another example of the old Latin phrase: "caveat emptor" - buyer beware.  If someone is attempting to sell you something and knows details about your life that seem to make the two of you "click," then perhaps it is time to take a step back.  It is always commensense advice in this day and age to shred your credit card (and other billing information) and always be careful of what is thrown in the trash.  However, thanks to the internet, other personal information is sometimes available online.

      Another adage to always be careful.

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Interludes - The Turing Test

We need to take a break for a minute to discuss the Turing Test.  This was a test developed by computer pioneer Alan Turing.  Turing stated that if computer artificial intelligence developed to the point where a person on the other end  of a conversation with a computer could not tell if he was speaking with a computer or with a person, then this was a case of true artificial intelligence.

    The Turing test passed today.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/computer-becomes-first-to-pass-turing-test-in-artificial-intelligence-milestone-but-academics-warn-of-dangerous-future-9508370.html

   What are the implications for this in the field of fraud?  No one really knows, but history has been made. 

Secrets of Con Artists 8

OK - let's wrap up this thread.

     Con artists can collect information on a target very easily.  They can also get enough information to "read" a target, once again very easily.  This should be obvious after reviewing the past posts. 

      Con artists, like any other profession, require the that the artist do the research.  This is the ultimate "secret" of con artists (although it is not much of a secret) - they do their research when they are trying to hit big targets (or even small multiple targets).  The information they need is not very hard to obtain, especially in the 21st century. 

     Con artists do their research and they know how to evaluate their targets.  They know that the best way to ingratiate themselves to their targets is to have information before hand that will help them ingratiate themselves.

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Secrets of Con Artists 7

Continuing with the same thread:

     One of the most important (in my opinion) "secrets" of con artists is that they have not changed in the thousands of years that confidence games have been around.  The only real difference is that today, with modern technology, a con artist has a vast amount of information available to him.  This observation, however, can be made about everyone. 

       Take a person like Bernie Madoff or Jeffrey Skilling back two thousand years ago to the time of the Roman Empire and they will still be able to operate the same kind of scams that they did in the 21st century.  The only difference is that they will be using papyrus and working with slaves. 

      We like to think that con games are a modern phenomenon, but as we have discussed many times in previous posts, they are nothing new.  A con artist will have you believe, however, that the investment scheme or investment idea is completely new - no one has ever thought of it before.

      Con men don't like to admit that they are strangely unoriginal.  In fact, many con artists will admit they recycle old ideas after hearing about them from other con artists or even from reading a history book.

 

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Secrets of Con Artists 6

Sorry for the long delay, but as usual work has been very busy.

      We are back on track discussing some of the things that con artists do not like to have revealed.  We have already discussed how easy it is for con artists to get your personal information.  For these people, your personal information is a veritable gold mine.  This information can reveal not only what should be hidden information, such as your social security number or date of birth, but also information about your personal habits which can be used to enter into your life. 

      What is not so much known is that there is a veritable underground industry which buys and sells this information.  If you have ever seen the movie "Glengarry Glenn Ross," there is a scene where Alec Baldwin's character states that the owners of a company which sells real estate, "Mitch and Murray," purchased leads, i.e. phone numbers and addresses of people that filled out an information card so that a salesperson could follow up later.  The key is that the information, even if it was collected in a legal manner, can be used to ingratiate the salesperson with the prospective client. 

     It should not be surprising, therefore, to discover that information that has not been collected legally should also be up for sale. 

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk