Another one of those 419 or Nigerian scams
July 31, 2008
Most of us are probably already aware of the so-called Nigerian or 419 scams but I’m sure there are still a few who would believe the outrageous propositions and eventually become a victim.
For the uninitiated, a Nigerian scam is a scam trick in which the target is persuaded to advance a sum of money in exchange for a supposedly larger gain. That is why this modus operandi is also called advance fee fraud.
Google Adsense team makes mistakes sometimes
July 30, 2008
What do you do if you received an email from Google Adsense telling you that your site violated Adsense policies and that your account may be disabled in the future?
That’s exactly the email I got from them last week so you can imagine my panic at the thought of losing an income source.
Adsense’s email states:
Pag-IBIG Housing Bonds: Tax-free, guaranteed 5% return
July 28, 2008
Were you able to invest in the Philippine Retail Treasury Bond (RTB) offering last week?
The RTB issuance has been cut short because the government has already raised enough funds. If you were able to invest, good for you. You are now guaranteed a 6.80% net return (if you invested in the 3-year bond) of 7.20% (if you invested in the 5-year bond).
If you were not able to join the offering, don’t fret. There’s another guaranteed, government-backed security although it pays less than the RTB’s.
Security Warning email from Google
July 27, 2008
Yesterday I received a “Security Warning” email supposedly from Google and I must say that if I didn’t know better, I would have been the next victim of this phishing scam.
Here’s a copy of the email.
Retail Treasury Bonds: Guaranteed 9% and 8.5% interest
July 22, 2008
I was visiting various banks yesterday scouting for a good housing loan package (this story I’ll tell you soon), when I chanced upon an announcement at the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in Buendia, Makati about the government offering of Retail Treasury Bonds.
First, what is a Retail Treasury Bond?
(P200k discount!) For sale: Makati condo near Ayala Avenue
July 21, 2008
You or someone you know might be interested. If you can recommend a buyer, we’ll give you a finder’s fee of up to P50,000.
For sale: Oriental Garden Makati - Lotus Tower (Studio Unit @ 26th Floor)
Location: Buendia cor. Chino Roces beside Export Bank Building (a block away from Ayala Avenue, Makati City)
Floor Area: 33 sq. meters, 26th Floor
Parking: None
Price: Php 2.7M RUSH SALE! Just P2.5 million (US$56,000) (Cash, Bank financing, Flexible terms negotiable)
(More details and pictures below.)
For rent: Condo unit at The Fort (Fifth Avenue Place)
July 21, 2008
You or someone you know might be interested. If you can recommend a tenant, we’ll give you a referral commission of up to P10,000.
For rent: Fifth Avenue Place (1-Bedroom Condo Unit)
Brand New!
Availability: Mid-August 2008
(More details and pictures below.)
Google stock price at $4,488?
July 19, 2008
Did the Google (Stock Code: GOOG) stock really trade yesterday at $4,488.24?
Philippine major daily GMANews.tv reported last night (see screenshot of online article below) that the stock price of the number one search engine in the world reached $4,488.24 — a big increase considering that Google’s price recently hovers within the $500 range only.
Discourteous bank managers and staff of BDO
July 18, 2008
In this day and age, can you really judge a person’s financial capability based merely on appearance?
Some staff of Banco de Oro (BDO), one of the country’s leading banks, seem to think they can.
Several PMT members narrated in the forum’s Discriminating BDO bank manager thread how they were treated differently or, worse, badly just because they visited a BDO branch with an “unprofessional” attire or look.
‘N Sync creator ordered to repay scam victims $300 million
July 17, 2008
It looks like the victims of scammer and boy band creator Lou Pearlman won’t have to sing Bye, Bye, Bye to their money.
This week, a US court ordered Lou Pearlman, creator of the popular boy bands ‘N Sync and Backstreet Boys, to repay as much as $300 million to the more than 1,000 people he swindled in his Ponzi scam and fraudulent investment programs.
