Thursday, August 19, 2004
It's Too Good to Be True If . . .
News of the latest multi-million-dollar scam perpetrated in Utah on gullible Mormons has me wondering again why it's so easy. I suppose the details of the scam du jour don't matter. I'm more interested in prevention. Here's my incomplete list of warnings for my co-religionists and anyone else who is vulnerable. Feel free to suggest additions to the list.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- If someone uses church membership or connections in any way, don't get involved. (This includes implying participation by local or general church authorities, requesting referrals specifically from your church contacts, wanting to pray or go to the temple with you, suggesting that a product is just for the faithful or the righteous, etc.) They're not all harmless as doves, which is one reason why we're supposed to be wise as serpents.
- Get-rich-quick schemes almost never enrich the people who buy into them.
- If someone comes to your home to pitch a financial product or company, but is reluctant to name the company, show them the door.
- Free things that you have to pay for aren't free.
It ain't rocket science.
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Copyright 2004 by David Rodeback.
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