Does this sound familiar: You get a notice in the mail saying you have won a a plasma screen TV, a trip to Bali or a new ipod. To redeem your prize, you need to send a specified number of dollars or bring the money to a certain place. In reality, the prize does not exist, or if it does, only a small number of prizes will be awarded. This is an example of a financial scam. In this day and age, financial scams are a reality; however, there are precautions that exist to lower your risk of becoming a target:

• The greater the potential return, the greater the risk
• Always get information in writing before you give away any money
• Never invest what you cannot afford to lose
• Take time to do careful research
• If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is!