Sunday, March 31, 2019

First Of April


Today is National Prank Day, better known as April Fools’ Day. As with many holidays, it remains unclear exactly what the origins are. There are many theories, some of which make sense and others that do not. Regardless of how it all started, the day of practical jokes and pranks has survived for many centuries in many countries around the world.

While I’ve been known to play a few practical jokes from time to time, I’ve never really gotten into the whole April Fools’ Day thing. I think it’s because that’s the day such things are expected. The day when playing pranks is considered normal. I prefer to not be predictable when it comes to jokes or pranks. So, I try to avoid attempting to pull a fast one on anyone on April 1st.

Of course, convincing people that I’m NOT playing a joke on them on April 1st is sometimes a chore. Like one time when I called my wife.

My pickup had broken down and rather than walk the two miles to the auto parts store, I was hoping she would be able to give me a ride. But she didn’t believe me. She kept saying, “Right. April Fools.”

For a moment, I was tempted to just hang up and walk to her job, take her vehicle and return home to fix my pickup. It would have been worth the walk just imagining her getting off work and coming out to find no car!

Eventually, I did convince her that I actually needed a ride. Good thing too, I think —because knowing my luck, she would have reported the car as stolen. That would have been fun when the cops showed up. Or not. Somehow I don’t think shouting “April Fools” would have been all that dissuading to them. ~


Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Monday, March 25, 2019

Scam Alert


Thought I’d share my recent experience with a scam artist. Maybe save someone from losing their hard-earned money.

It started with me answering a Help Wanted ad in the online classifieds. The ad was listed was for a Warehouse Assistant for Wright Textile. Starting salary was $2,800 - $3,300 per month. After some difficulty — the guy had neglected to leave any contact information — I managed to get in touch with the place.

They wanted the standard information, a résumé and cover letter, which I provided. Then there were a few more questions, along with a request for references. After a few emails, they offered me the job.

The guy was a traveling businessman who dealt in art and other antiquities. The story was he would soon be opening a gallery in my area and needed someone to take delivery of the shipments and deliver them to the warehouse. I would also need to correspond with some of the sellers on the guy’s behalf and arrange for payments, keep accurate books for accounts receivable and payable.

It would start as a part time job; 15 hours per week for which I would be paid $500. If all went well, the job would become full time with a substantial pay increase.

This sounded good to me, although, from the start, I sort of had my doubts about it all. As did my son, who said “It’s a scam,” the moment I told him about the job. There was just something, not sure what, said it wasn’t legitimate. One clue was, the guy, whose name was Bryan Wright, seemed to have a little trouble with the English language. That alone wasn’t reason enough to dismiss the job though and I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But the farther along things progressed the more red flags there were. Like his name changing to Bryan Chan in later emails.

After a few more days I began to assume the whole thing was a scam. Still, I was curious and wanted to know what sort of scam he was running, so I played along. And, there always was the slight possibility that everything was on the up and up.

Bryan Chan eventually told me I was hired and that my first paycheck, as well as my first assignment, would be arriving in the mail. I waited for a week, and then another. Nothing came in the mail. About the time I figured the guy had just been wanting my information, I did get a check in the mail. It was a cashier’s check for $1550.30.

I didn’t get too excited. First I looked up the credit union the check had come from and found that it was a real bank. I then took the check to my bank and they did an initial query to see if the funds were available. They were. So, I deposited it.

The next day, I received my “instructions.” I was to take $250 out for myself and send the balance to Motherless Babies Home in Dallas, Texas. Well, sort of. The director of the Motherless Babies Home had requested the money be sent to her accountant in Dallas via a Moneygram. This all sounded odd to me, like money laundering or something. It didn’t make sense that I would be needed for such a transaction. If Mr. Bryan Chan wanted to donate to Motherless Babies Home (which is apparently a legitimate charity) he could have sent the funds directly to them in any number of ways. No need to pay me $250 to do it unless he was wanting to hide the transaction. A Moneygram, of course, would have my name attached. Whether legal or not, whatever he was up to, didn’t sound like something I wanted to be connected with.

I sent off an email, advising Mr. Chan that I was declining the job. I also may have alluded to some discussion with the Sheriff’s Office, which may or may not have happened. And then I asked for his address, you know, in case I needed to send the check back. Strangely, he didn’t want to provide his address. And he kept insisting that I send the funds off immediately. At this point I still didn’t know what the scam was. But I was still curious. The next day, I found out.

Visiting my bank, trying to find information, I was given the details on what the deal likely was.

The cashier’s check that I’d deposited was originally a good check — maybe — but before the transaction could be completed, whoever had written it would write another one with the same numbers and send it through for processing ahead of mine. Which would then make the check they’d sent me return as fraudulent. The idea is that most people would have already cashed the fraudulent check, purchased a Moneygram and sent it off. And, as a result, they would be out the $1300.30.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bryan Chan was getting antsy. He kept sending me emails, demanding to know what the problem was and why I hadn’t done as he’d instructed. Of course, he tried to play to my sympathies by referencing the poor motherless babies who were depending on me.

A couple of days later, the scenario given to me by my bank proved accurate; the check had been returned as fraudulent. I sent one final email, informing Mr. Chan that the “problem” he wondered about was that he’d sent me a fraudulent check. As such, I said I wouldn’t be sending any amount of money to anyone.

Strangely, I haven’t heard from the man since. ~

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Winter Is Melting!

So, almost all of the snow is gone from around my house! About time. I’ve lived in this town for 29 winters and I’ve never seen snow on the ground in March. Sure, at times there’s been a little skiff but it was usually gone faster than it came. This year, we’re talking feet of snow.

And it’s been here since early February. That’s a long time to put up with snow when winter should have been long gone. But I’m pretty sure it’s my fault.

See, back in January, I wrote a blog post celebrating the mild winter we were having. And almost immediately, things changed. The unseasonably warm temperatures turned unseasonably cold. The couple of little snow flurries we’d experienced turned to piles of snow.

A month and a half. That’s how long it’s been. It was supposed to be WARM by now. Usually, by mid-March, I’ve already mowed the lawn a couple of times. This year, it’ll be April before the lawn even starts growing.

So, I’ve learned my lesson. No more reveling in the mild winter on my blog — at least for this year. ~

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Sunday, March 10, 2019

What's The World Coming To?

For a few minutes this past week, I thought the world was going to end. Not because any impending catastrophe was imminent. No, the reason was more innocuous than that.

Here’s what happened: Someone hacked one of my email accounts. Not the main email that I use, so that was good. But they were able to then get into my Facebook pages.

Okay, not exactly the end of the world scenario I started out with but still a little aggravating. I didn’t really lose any sleep or anything but it was just another issue I needed to deal with that I shouldn’t have.

From what I could tell, they didn’t really do much, no off-color posts, no posting of links to some other country, no attempts to scam anyone. I assume they just wanted information, and they probably got that. But, I don’t really post anything on Facebook that’s a big secret so...

As far as the email goes, I have no idea what they did with that. I could’ve sent a ton of spam out, I suppose. Well, not me but my account. so it would appear to come from me. But no one has sent me an angry response, so maybe not.

I think it’s all taken care of now, my Facebook accounts seem to be normal and I once again have control of my email. Now, I get to what to see what else they might do. Yay!

Such is life in the modern world. A few years ago, no one had to worry about being hacked. Now, it’s becoming a regular occurrence. Which is good in a way. If, by chance, people start receiving things that are totally out of character for the person supposedly sending them, it’s a good indication that they’ve been hacked.

Keep that in mind over the next few days. Just in case something untoward shows up, appearing to be from me, you’ll know it’s not. I hope! In any event, it’s not the end of the world! ~

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Monday, March 4, 2019

Easy Way To Start Investing Now


Investing Made Easy
And Why You Should Start THIS VERY MINUTE!


Imagine saving a few thousand dollars in just a year. All while still earning your current salary... and without getting a part time job. Next, imagine that money growing on its own. Earning you interest every day, as much as 15% or more. All with no effort on your part. And imagine the total of that money being available to you when you need it — to pay for those unexpected expenses: car repairs... doctor visits... a new vacuum... replacing a neighbor’s window... or perhaps your own window.

Or, you might use the money to take a nice, well-deserved vacation... A relaxing week in Hawaii... A Caribbean cruise... a weekend trip to Las Vegas...

Maybe you’ll want to leave the money alone, let it continue to grow until retirement. How much would you be able to accumulate? Probably more than you can imagine. A lot more.

But, I have good news. You don’t just have to imagine any of this. It’s all very possible. That’s the power of investing. The power of using money to make money. And the best time to start is now. Because the earlier you start, the more you can earn.

Think you don’t have enough money to get started? That you should wait until you do? Or that it would make more sense to spend your money on other things? These seem like logical reasons to put off investing. But, let me tell you, it is a flawed logic. Consider the following quote from one of the all-time most successful investors in history:

“Nothing sedates rationality like large doses of effortless money.” - Warren Buffet


But let’s face it, not everyone can be Warren Buffet, investor extraordinaire. First, most people do not have that kind of money. Many Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That simply doesn’t allow for a grand investment portfolio.

Second, most people do not have that kind of time. We’re busy. We work a job... have things to take care of at home... doctor visits...  meetings to attend... appointments to keep... and that leaves very little time to pay attention to things such as investing. But there is a way that even the busiest person with no stash of extra cash laying around can get in on the action. A simple way. A painless way. I’ll explain just how you can do it in a minute.

Third, investing requires more than just buying a few shares in a stock and then hoping it will grow. It must be the right stock. The right kind of company. Successful investing demands a strategy. That takes hours of research... and a thorough understanding of the stock market — the best practices... procedures... things to avoid... how to capitalize on an opportunity, etc. To make it profitable, you have to constantly be aware of what is happening in the market — in real time. That means tracking each stock and each market on a daily basis. And not just the US markets (Dow Jones, NASDAQ, S&P 500) but the world markets as well. But that’s not all. There’s the after-hours trading, so it’s virtually an around-the-clock engagement. And then, there is the terminology; just to acquire a basic knowledge of the relevant terms would take months.

Unless that is their job, it is quite honesty, nearly impossible for anyone to maintain that level of awareness. So, the common people, people like you and me, were simply left out. Left to fend for ourselves. Left to depend on luck. And as it happens, luck is not all that dependable.


Don’t Let Tradition Hold You Back.

Traditionally, investing required a fairly large sum of money to get started. Then there were broker fees, trading fees, and other associated costs. The average working person could not realistically afford to invest in the stock market. For those who were able, the learning curve was somewhat daunting. And learning, along with its setbacks, is not all that enticing when it’s costing you your own money. Money that could have been spent on necessities like food and rent.



But times have changed. In 2014, Walter and Jeff Cruttenden launched Acorns, an investment app for mobile devices, making investing accessible to everyone. The following year, the web-based version was introduced. Acorns makes investing painless because you are only investing a few cents at a time and they’ve taken all the guesswork out of the equation. From their website: “Acorns simplified the often tedious and complex process of investing. But that doesn’t mean the investment strategy is any less sophisticated.”


“Our mission is to look after the financial best interests of the up-and-coming, beginning with the empowering step of micro-investing.”

Micro-investing, investing small amounts, is what makes Acorns so appealing to many people. People who would never be able to be investors in the traditional sense.


About The Company.

Acorns is a legitimate and reputable financial service that makes investing simple and affordable for anyone. Acorns is the only micro-investing account that allows you to invest spare change. Set up in under 5 minutes and automatically add money to your diversified portfolio. They do all the work. All the time-consuming administrative duties. All the research. Acorns offers a user-friendly platform and is rated the number one investment app for new investors by Business Insider [2018]. Earlier this year, Forbes included Acorns in their exclusive FinTech 50. [February 4, 2019]. And Joe Raspolich of TheCollegeInvestor.Com said, “Acorns has continued to innovate, and it’s raised the bar for micro-investing apps.”

And it’s not just the financial experts who are raving about Acorns. Take a look at what their customers are saying:


“I love the concept, especially the roundups...” - J. Keeling

“... a very easy way to save money and have a little emergency fund.”
- O. Mahone

“Acorns allows me to invest my spare change and invest just $10 a month. Those small amounts really do add up.” - J. Smith

“Excellent way to save and invest. The app is easy to use and does it for you.” - D. Mangold

“I love the round up option with the multiplier! Before I knew it there was over $300 in there!” - C. Campbell




How Does It All Work?

There are many methods of investing with Acorns but the easiest is their one-of-a-kind Round-ups. When you link a credit or debit card to your Acorns Core Account, they track your transactions, round up the purchase to the next dollar, and invest that amount. For example: If you spend $9.56 on breakfast, Acorns would deduct .44 from your bank account and add that to your Acorns Investment Account. You choose from one of five pre-built “smart portfolios,” ranging from conservative to aggressive. If you’d like to invest more you can easily do so by taking advantage of the multiplier selection. Simply set your desired multiplier and automatically invest the round-up amount multiplied by 2, 3, or 10. (Note: They let the small amounts accumulate until the balance reaches $5.00 before deducting it from your checking).

You also have the option of adding additional funds at any time. Instead of stashing a few dollars a week in a traditional savings account — which currently pays about 2% interest — you can add that money to your Acorns Account and take advantage of the earning power of the stock market. All of this with no broker fees or transaction fees.



But Wouldn’t Putting My Money In A CD Be Smarter?


A CD or, Certificate of Deposit, does have advantages. But it also has several disadvantages. A CD can cost thousands of dollars and the return is astonishingly low. Current rates are around a half percent for a six-month CD. Longer term CD’s can offer a slightly higher rate — but not much —generally only 1.5%. And keep in mind, any money invested in a CD is locked up for the entire length of the term. It’s still your money, but you can’t access it. So those unexpected expenses that plague all of us:  a broken phone... medical bills...  a pet emergency... increased utility bills... a speeding ticket... fundraisers... gifts...
                       
Unless you have thousands of dollars lying around that you are certain you won’t need for six months, a year, or longer, a CD is probably not for you. But with Acorns, you get a better option. Unlike a CD, you need only a small amount to open up an account... you’ll get a much higher return on your investment... your money is instantly available... and you can access or transfer funds instantly. With just a few clicks you can move your money funds to another investment — within Acorns, to a different platform or into your bank account. Plus, your first six months with Acorns is entirely FREE! Yes, FREE. I’ll tell you how to take advantage of the FREE offer but before I do, I forgot to mention some of the other programs Acorns offers.





And now, back to the price. It’s fairly simple. After the first month, which is free, Acorns charges $1.00 per month until your account value reaches $1 million. Since we’re talking spare change, the first few months, with an account of less than $100, that fee may seem a little high but keep in mind that as your investments grow, the fee does not. So, years from now when your spare change has turned into a few thousand, the monthly fee will remain just $1.00 for the basic plan, known as Acorns Core. They also offer $2 and 3$ monthly plans.


Try it Risk-Free for Six Months.

Remember that I said you could get Acorns FREE for six months? Here’s how. When you take advantage of this limited-time offer by clicking on one of the links in this post, Acorns will give you $5.00 to get you started. That’s their way of saying thanks for your business. After the initial free month, the $5.00 will cover the next five months’ fee. That’s six months, absolutely FREE. So, you can try it out risk-free for an entire six months. If you find that the investing thing is not for you, simply cash out what you’ve accumulated and close your account. You have nothing to lose. And if you’re a student...


Acorns Core at the $1/month Level is FREE for College Students.

If you’re in college Acorns just got better! The basic plan, Acorns Core, is FREE for college students. You pay nothing as long as you’re enrolled in college. In other words, there’s absolutely nothing to lose.


Acorns offers a unique solution to overcoming the mental barrier: ‘I just don’t have enough money to be investing.’
Acorns really is investing made simple. Invest as little or as much as you want. There is no downside. Click on the link below to get started.

Give Acorns A Try.

Start Investing Today.

One other thing: Acorns has an extensive array of tracking features, charts and graphs, that help you see exactly how much you’ve invested, what return you’re currently getting, and how much you can expect to earn over time, by year. This makes it super easy to see how your money is working for you. Of course, if you’d rather not bother with all the numbers, if you’re not the facts and figures kind of person, you can set it and forget it. Take a few minutes to determine what you want to invest in and then you never have to touch it. Either way, rest assured, your money will still be there working for you.

Questions? Visit Acorns.com

Sunday, March 3, 2019

What A Spectacle

While sitting in a restaurant with my wife this past weekend, my mind began to wander. Way back. About 44 years ago. Back to another time when I was sitting in that very same restaurant. It’s undergone some renovation and has a new name, but still the same building.

I could see the place the way it used to be, and for a minute or two it was almost like I’d traveled back in time. I started to smile to myself as I remembered an incident. My wife asked what I was thinking and I related the story to her. She didn’t think it was all that funny, so I thought I’d give it a try here:

S, there I was, about seven or eight years old, sitting at a table with my brother. We’d been there for quite some time, about two hours or more, waiting on our parents to finish talking to whoever we were with. Sorry, I don’t remember just who else was there.

We were at our own table, and getting a little restless. So, we got the bright idea of using our straws to shoot pieces of the crushed ice from our drinks. At first we aimed at various insignificant things: the windows, pictures on the wall, or the exit sign. Then, one of us, not sure who, started launching our ice projectiles toward an elderly man sitting across the dining area. Soon, it was both of us, taking turns. Seeing who could hit our new “target.”

A few of our missiles landed close and the guy, a little confused, would look around wondering what was going on. Then, one of us — again, not sure which one — scored a direct hit. The old man was a bit startled as the ice splattered over his glasses. He took them off to clean them and gazed around the room, searching for the culprit. My brother and I feigned innocence of course, acting like we weren’t paying attention to the man and his “adventure.”

It should have been rather obvious who the guilty party was —we were the only kids in the entire restaurant — but for some reason the man never said a word. Not to us or our parents. Just resumed eating. Although, he did try to keep a watchful eye out for the rest of his meal.

Figuring we’d gotten away with enough for one night, we held our fire and moved on to other things. I couldn’t really tell you what, but probably things just as mischievous.

I know, not a very inspirational story. Hardly noble. But hey, we were kids. Kids having fun. We had a laugh and no one got hurt so all in all a decent outcome — sort of. I guess that depends on one’s perspective.

Then I had another thought; maybe there’s more to these straw bans than just the stupidity of legislators...  ~


Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, The Lana Denae Mysteries, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook at www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS and paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.