Category: Investments

Real Estate Listing in 237 US Cities, Value Starter Homes at $1 Million or Higher

Posted on by Jacki Gwenevere

affordanle starter homesZillow, the tech-based US real estate marketplace recently reported that typical starter homes in around 237 cities in the country are valued at $1 million or higher. The prices are way above the amount that an average American homebuyer can afford to pay for a starter home, which Zillow categorizes as a real property in a given region that is priced in the lowest third of house values.

More than half of the 237 US cities with $1 million worth starter homes are situated in California. New York and New Jersey have respectively 31 and 24 cities with pricey starter homes.

The new Zillow report states that the cost of houses has been rising ever since the pandemic as a result of growing demand, housing shortage and increasing inflation. According to Zillow, between 2019 and 2024, starter homes valued at $1 million were listed for sale in 84 US cities only. Today, more than 200 US cities have pricey starter homes valued at $1 million or higher. As a result, many first time, median income buyers had to shelve plans of buying even a starter home that Zillow describes as having a comfortable and affordable price of $196,611 on a national level.

Increase in Home Inventory Can Hold Down the Real Estate Market’s Median Price

increae in number of affordable homesU.S. realtors are saying that changes are about to take place since smaller and comfortably priced homes up for sale in the market have been growing in numbers. After all, rising inventory can help hold down the median price of real estate, since buyers will have more negotiating power by having more options.

How Much Does An SR22 Insurance Cost?

Posted on by Regan Andre

 

 

The price of SR-22 insurance may vary depending on the state you reside in as well as the insurance provider providing coverage. Here, we examine in detail what SR-22 insurance is, what it can cost you, how to obtain one, and how long you might require it.

What exactly is an SR-22?

A SR22 is a certificate of insurance issued by a vehicle insurance company.A financial responsibility file or a certificate of insurance are other names for an SR-22. It confirms that the insured has liability coverage that meets the state’s minimum standards. The insurance provider then sends a copy of the document to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) after it is granted.
If a driver wants to have their license reinstated after it has been suspended or revoked, they must submit an SR-22. If the DMV asks you to provide proof of financial responsibility in connection with any action, the certificate serves as acceptable proof of liability auto insurance.

When is an SR-22 necessary?

In a variety of situations, an SR-22 may be necessary. One instance involves people who have been caught driving or getting into accidents without having enough auto insurance or a proper license. However, it is typically necessary for those who have been found guilty of operating a vehicle while intoxicated or under the influence of narcotics. Anyone involved in any of these occurrences must have a current SR-22 on file with the DMV. Three years is the normal duration; however, it could go up to five.
If a driver is required to keep an SR-22, the certificate must state that the associated insurance policy protects all vehicles that are registered in the driver’s name and all vehicles that the driver regularly drives.
If a motorist does not plan to drive, he does not need to submit an SR-22. However, if the same driver owns a car or regularly uses a car, he would have to submit a non-owner SR-22 certificate. This provides coverage for the driver whenever he is permitted to operate a vehicle that is not his own.

SR-22 Insurance in Texas – What is it? How Much Does it Cost?

Different insurance providers charge different amounts for an SR-22. Depending on characteristics including personal driving history, age, driving experience, marital status, and place of residence, an individual can anticipate spending an average of $35 to $100. Insurance companies that do provide SR-22 coverage typically charge a high premium for it.
The expense is not just for the certificate itself. Clients of SR-22 insurance must invariably pay more for the bare minimum of liability coverage.They are now viewed as high-risk drivers, which explains this. High-risk drivers may even be required by some insurance providers to pay for the entire coverage period up front. For many people, this may represent a considerable financial commitment. A driver who needs an SR-22 may also forfeit their good-driver discount. For ten years following a conviction, Texas actually forbids DUI offenders from receiving a good driver discount.

insurance for SR22 automobiles

An individual will probably initially get in touch with their current auto insurance provider when first instructed to obtain an SR-22. Unfortunately, when that occurs, it notifies the provider that a big event has taken place. The insurance provider will then look up the driver’s DMV record to see why the certificate is required. The insurance provider will either revoke the existing policy or issue the certificate, depending on their conclusions. The driver will be obliged to find another option if the policy is terminated. The premium rates will probably rise if the certificate is issued.
The driver’s current auto insurance provider is not obligated to provide an SR-22. He is free to compare options and choose the best one. Every insurance provider is unique, and many of them don’t even provide SR-22 insurance. Before making a purchase, experts strongly advise doing your research. When purchasing insurance, it is important to take into account the company’s financial accountability, service, dependability, and reputation.
Fortunately for these drivers, auto insurance companies don’t just base premium rates on factors like a DUI or a suspended license. The majority of insurance companies will also consider your age, where you live, whether you’re married, and your driving record and experience.

What is the duration of an SR22 status?

An SR-22 must typically is kept on file for three years following a license suspension for a DUI. As long as neither the vehicle insurance provider nor the motorist cancels the policy, the original certificate will stay on file with the DMV. It is not necessary to re-file annually.
The DMV will receive notification if the insurance carrier cancels the policy or drops the motorist. The driver needs to get a fresh SR-22 from a different auto insurance provider right away. If this is not done, your license can be suspended once more. To put it another way, continuous SR-22 coverage is required for the DMV to approve the eventual removal of SR-22 status and full re-issuance of a driver’s license at a later time.

Selecting the Right SR22 Company

Finding the ideal insurance provider might be challenging for drivers who must comply with SR-22 regulations. They don’t want to argue with an insurance salesperson after having to deal with an arrest, court dates, and annoying DMV demands. It’s good to know that we have choices. There are organizations out there that can assist you in locating the best SR-22 insurance rates.

Talk To Your Lawyer About The Retirement Financial Planning Process

Posted on by Grady Karly

Many people have no idea what retirement entails. They often wait until shortly before retirement to make their future life – and the associated financial aspects – clear to themselves. However, it is wise to think about how to properly arrange your pension earlier. For example, what can you arrange several years in advance, so that you can retire carefree and well prepared in the future? In this article, we give a number of tips for personal choices and options with regard to withdrawing your pension. Things you can take into account now. So the only thing left to do is… is enjoying your retirement!. Know your pension rights. Talk to skilled and experienced lawyers at LA Century Law.

Arrange your pension matters on time

 

Good preparation for your retirement often offers more options than you might have thought of beforehand. In addition, it ensures that you will not be faced with (financial) surprises in the future. So take the time to find out (or have it looked up) carefully what options there are for your pension. You may be able to retire early or take part-time retirement so that you can take it easy in the final years of your working life. And what will your financial situation look like after you retire? What are sensible choices? For some people, a high-low pension can be attractive or a withdrawal of part of the pension in the first years after retirement. Various choices that you can consider if you take plenty of time to arrange your pension.

Finance professionals and Lawyers can help you properly arrange your pension

There are many different options for properly arranging your pension in advance. Some people prefer to consult finance professionals or even their lawyers regarding this matter. But with enough knowledge, you can start the planning process. For example, provide insight into what your situation will look like in the last years of your working life and later after you retire. You can do this for yourself, but it is wise to immediately look at the pension of your partner if any. Can’t quite figure it out? Then a financial advisor can help.

Make an overview of your current income and expenses

Make your income and expenses transparent. What is currently coming in per month? Think of wages, but also of any allowances and other sources of income. At the same time, determine what you expect to generate in income after you retire. If you don’t know exactly, then it is important to find out. In addition to your income, it is also important that you have your expenses in order. Divide your expenses into fixed expenses and daily expenses. For the various expenses, also view what you expect to spend for these items after your retirement.

Engage a (financial) advisor

Can’t quite figure it out? Not sure where to start? Then hire a financial expert. If you want to look at the possibilities to possibly stop working earlier, in most cases you can contact someone through your employer who can look at the options with you. You can also find (financial) advisers through pension funds or consultancy firms who can provide you with advice.

Make plans

Many people often do not yet know how they would like to fill in their pension in the future. It is good to think about this early on. You will soon have all the time! Do you want to pick up your old hobby again? Maybe finally make that beautiful journey? Or is it time for a second or new home? And how does this affect your financial situation? Good to think about that now.

 

How to Invest in Physical Gold in Canada?

Posted on by Regan Andre

Gold Bars

 

Finding out how to purchase real gold from Canada, and even silver can help save you effort and money in creating a wise portfolio.

Sold on the notion of buying gold in Canada? Unsure about the best method of getting your hands on a few? This guide can allow you to realize how to purchase real gold from Canada. To begin with there are a couple of alternatives for purchasing gold normally that may be acceptable for you. Below, I’ll walk through the very best ways of how to purchase real gold from Canada.

The very ideal selection for you might not be exactly the exact same as for me personally due to our exceptional financial goals and individual lifestyle options. While only about nobody will whine about acquiring gold for a present, preferences for your design change. Secondly, one of the numerous methods of purchasing real gold, a few are usually cheaper in some time frames. I am going to explain why due fine (99.9%) gold bullion–proceed to get a fast breakdown of what’s silver –for example, is normally safer in contrast to semi-fine (less than 99.9%) gold.

What Options Are There in Purchasing Gold in Canada?

To get a more thorough overview of the various alternatives, you may want to consider how to purchase gold (that literally means achat or in French) in Canada, normally. I love to divide gold investing in three easy schools. They’re buying:

  1. The actual item (bullion – coins/bars);
  2. Something which possesses the actual item (ETF – exchange-traded fund);
  3. Or something that’s influenced by the actual thing (purchasing stock in gold-producing businesses ).

Of these various schools of thought, I’m a firm believer in “1. Invest in the actual item,” and here is why.

There are just two and a half means to invest directly from actual gold. You can do this by purchasing physical gold, so you can purchase a contract valued in gold, and eventually you can buy a part of ownership in something which owns gold. In the first scenario, you can put money into silver or gold non-fine gold. The next means is to purchase a contract like a contract for the future purchase price of gold at a particular cost. Eventually, they can purchase into a fund that owns valuable metals, even though that’s more of “2. Purchase something which possesses the actual thing.”

ETFs are resources that are handled by golden specialists, which means that you stand a better prospect of earning money than you would by yourself. The cost of gold will continually have an effect on gold ETFs. In the end, ETFs do not really own gold. They simply trade at a golden indicator like the CBOE Gold Index, for instance. The inventory of gold-producing businesses relies on the organization’s individual performance, instead of the operation of gold as a product.

Why am I focusing on the best way best to obtain physical gold in Canada? As a firm believer in precious metals as a hedge, the physical stone has a couple of benefits such as (but not confined to) the next. These start with this simple fact that you simply hold it there are not any intermediaries to possession. Secondly, physical gold could be marketed to nearly anybody, anywhere. That doubles when it’s fine bullion that arrives out of an LBMA accredited refinery. At length, real gold is a whole lot more privacy-respecting than some of those other selections out there.

 

ALSO READ: Do The Early Work of Investing For Your Future

 

Which Are The Basic Actions To Purchase Real Gold in Canada?

Simply place, you wander in the golden shop and cover it. Well, it is not that simple. Allow me to break down the sentence for you. To begin with, “walk to” may mean that you locate a neighborhood gold trader or much more generally that you purchase gold on the internet. Secondly, “the golden shop” may be a valuable metals trader, a bank, or possibly a jeweler. Third, “cover it” may mean anything from money to a cable transfer. A complete load of variables will find out that for you, from the place to the sum you purchase.

Actually, the very first step to purchasing gold is locating a trusted supplier. You want to locate a business that provides competitive and affordable rates, superb customer support, and secure delivery (or possibly reliable storage solutions). There are various businesses with a superb reputation in Canada, and you have the chance to purchase elsewhere. I’ve not ever seen a lender beat anybody’s prices and very honestly the choice and wait times are still so dreadful. In reality, I’ve obtained bank-branded valuable metals more economical from traders than in the banks.

After locating your trader and prior to buying your gold, then you need to make a decision as to what kind of gold you want, for example, gold bars or coins. You’ll also have to choose what mint’s, e.g. that the Royal Canadian Mint, or even Refiner’s, e.g. Republic Metals Corp., the merchandise you would like. Just make sure you steer clear of purchasing post-office coins to your very own budget.

A Primer on Several Kinds of Gold

There are a variety of benefits of purchasing coins over bars, and also vice-versa. You’ll have to educate yourself on the best choices out there. There’s not any true right or wrong response on which you purchase. It only depends on what you actually prefer.

Much like any investment, there are numerous elements to take into account like the worth of your investment, as your merchandise premiums, the length of time you intend on maintaining it, and in which you plan on keeping it. Coins are generally slightly pricier than gold bars, but they’re easier to shop for. Many traders enjoy their beauty and lack over what they do to gold bars. Therefore, you might locate them easier to market at a top cost.

The American Eagle gold bullion gold along with Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins will be the most commonly-traded therefore it’s going to be easy to market these once the time arrives to do so. But, Canadians cried: American golden eagles aren’t nice (99.9%) gold bullion. Instead, they’re produced from 22K (99.17%) stone. Therefore, they’re not regarded as investment goods and therefore are subject to Canadian sales taxation.

What is more, the 0.9999 Canadian Maple Leaf is possibly the most famous bullion of all, so this might be an additional consideration.

All these are generally provided as 1oz coins, also you’ll be able to purchase as many as you need. You’ll have to choose whether you’ll save the golden yourself or cover it in order for it to be kept in a vault. Traditional vaulting services could be expensive, but you can have the ability to detect a cheaper option, like an in-home bank or safe.

Premiums

A superior is an added price charged over the gold spot price. Reputable silver traders charge investors little percentage premiums. The best approach to prevent paying premiums is to purchase gold bars rather than coins. This is a result of the bigger unit dimensions since it cost significantly less to manufacture. It cost the exact identical amount to purchase a 1-kilo bar as to purchase 10 100g gold bars for the specific same reason. As a hint, if you intend on maintaining your gold for quite a while, then bigger gold bars are all advisable.

Additionally, consider whether you would like to purchase insurance in your investment. This is normally recommended when keeping your precious metals in the home.

With this information available, you can purchase whatever gold bullion you’re comfortable possessing. Diversification is vital in this market because it’s in any other sort of investment. Look at mixing and matching different choices.

By studying many distinct traders, you’ll have the ability to find a good idea of the choices that are available to you.

 

What Factors Affect Changes In Exchange Rates?

Posted on by Regan Andre

The forex is particularly determined by supply and demand. The exchange rate largely depends on them. This is particularly dramatic when, for example, fund companies, banks or entire countries carry out large enough trades in one go. Then the price can suddenly rise suddenly or drop just as suddenly.

Foreign exchange rates are of great importance for all traders in the forex market. So it is important to know the factors that make an impact on the exchange rate.

What influences Foreign Exchange Rate?

The developments in the market. This can be read on a so-called chart. It shows the price trends graphically in a line chart. Brokers like Pepperstone (read Pepperstone broker review) need such charts for their work. You can use them to read the exchange rates and use them as the basis for your future forecast. The finance experts try to read trends in the chart analysis.

Political decisions or elections. The influence of elections can currently be seen very well in the US dollar. Since Donald Trump’s election in November, the dollar has lost value steadily against the euro. In addition, since Trump’s election as president, Mexico has had to throw hundreds of millions of dollars in the market to counter the fall in the price of the peso, fueled by protectionist tones. Fortunately, from Mexico’s perspective, this was possible thanks to large currency reserves.

International crises. In contrast, the consequences of the nuclear dispute with North Korea remained unexpected. While foreign trade and foreign investment declined sharply, the South Korean Wong was relatively unimpressed.

Events in the economy. If, for example, a change occurs at the top of large automobile manufacturers, technology or energy groups, this can also affect the exchange rate if the company is large enough. But the publication of annual figures for important companies can also have a major impact. The change in price can first be seen in the leading indices of the shares.

Natural disasters. Natural disasters and environmental events can also have a significant impact on the currency market. When hurricane Irma headed for Florida, the dollar reacted immediately. Investors feared high losses from the storm, with insurers currently facing $ 40 billion in costs. But when the storm lost strength, the dollar regained strength.
Consumer climate and trade index. Both economic indicators make it possible to forecast the near future economic future of a country. This in turn is decisive for the strength of its currency.

Commodity / oil prices. Commodity prices in general and in particular the prices of crude oil and natural gas also play an outstanding role for the foreign exchange market.

Capital movements. In the case of capital flows, the proportion of underlying real economic transactions has fallen to up to 10%. The lion’s share is speculation. As a result, the stock exchanges are also price drivers. Here, however, it is true that a weak stock market leads to rising prices because investors are fleeing into fixed-income alternatives. It is therefore worth taking a look at the most important stock markets with regard to forex trading.

Monetary policy. The currency policies of individual countries can also lead to price movements that are difficult to predict. In addition to Mexico, Russia and China have recently had to throw large amounts of US securities on the market to strengthen their currencies. While it may be predictable that these steps would be necessary, the exact timing is difficult to estimate.

Conclusion

The list could go on and on. The slightest tremor can upset the markets and start huge flows of capital. Sometimes you expect them and then they stay away. The forex market is very complex and certainly not for beginners. On the one hand there are quick and high winnings, on the other hand the tide can turn quickly and everything is lost. It is therefore advisable to deal with the matter in detail beforehand before engaging in forex trading on the forex market .

Brazil’s Congress Set to Undertake Deep Probe of the Country’s Cryptocurrency Market

Posted on by Jacki Gwenevere

Cryptocurrency news website Cointelegraph, reported that Brazililian lawmakers have overwhelmingly voted to approve a resolution to launch an investigation into the country’s cryptocurrency market.

Congressman Aureo Ribeiro, instigated the request to formally task the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (PCI) to conduct the probe. The request came as a result of the widespread proliferation of cryptocurrency related fraud transpiring in Brazil. Congressional support for Ribeiro’s resolution is overwhelming, as the document was signed by 234 Congressmen, which exceeded the required minimum of 63 votes.

According to Cointelegraph, the approved resolution specifically named cryptocurrency operators Atlas Quantum and its CEO Rodrigo Marques, Trader Group and Zero 10 among many others, as needing thorough investigation.

The growing number of complaints put forward by people coming from all over Brazil, indicated that the proliferation of cryptocurrency-related fraud throughout the country, has reached epidemic proportions.

Congressman Ribeiro, who also authored a bill proposing for the regulation of Brazil’s cryptocurrency operations, wrote in the resolution that

”The lack of regulation and vigilance over the crypto market in Brazil presents potential risks to investors and users, as its operations combined with high levels of anonymity, abstraction, cross-border transactions and other peculiarities inherent to the cryptocurrency technology.”

The Brazilian congressman also explained in the resolution, why Atlas Quantum, once purported as the biggest cryptocurrency company in Brazil, calls for a deep probe.

The Main Problem with Atlas Quantum

Homegrown Brazilian cryptocurrency company Atlas Quantum, is currently facing financial problems and legal issues.

Last September 18, 2019, Atlas Quantum released a video to present itself as a robust company with more than $54 million in bitcoins to its name. However, Atlas made further claims that the exchange company HitBTC has frozen 1,862 BTC ($15.3 million) and over $5.4 million in stablecoin Tether (USDT) that Atlas allegedly maintains in three crypto accounts.

On October 05, 2019, HitBTC denied Atlas Quantum’s claim by informing investors that the said crypto-investment company does not have any value stuck in the HitBTC platform. HitBTC further stated that the video released by the alleged Atlas Quantum team is fake, as exchange company noted the non-standard placement of amounts to show the purported balances of Atlas Quantum’s account.

Moreover, HitBTC asserts that it has not received any request for assistance in connection with the supposed frozen accounts. .

The video came at a time when numerous investors expressed fears that the crypto-investment company will not be able to fulfill its obligations to meet all requests for withdrawals. The case attracted wide media coverage, to which Atlas Quantum responded by presenting an audit report allegedly attesting to the veracity of the amount of Bitcoins and other altcoins held by the beleaguered company.

The audited statement though is regarded as contentious, as many of Atlas’ investors doubt if Atlas Quantum has sufficient cryptocurrency resources to honor its commitments.

Cryptocurrencies – Does It Have An Effect On The Global Market

Posted on by Paden Krystelle

Binance withdraw is an option to take as it is one solution for global crypto exchange providing a platform for trading and exchanging over a hundred cryptocurrencies. Since 2018, Binance is regarded as one of the largest crypto exchange in the globe with regards to the volume of trading.

Platforms like this have been created as cryptocurrencies have become tremendously popular because of the potential gains it offers, however the volatility of cryptos includes the risk of losses as well. For instance, Bitcoin increased from around $1,000 to over $19,000 in 2017 prior to dipping to over $3,000 in the onset of 2019. In 2017, ICO or Initial coin offerings raised over $3.7 billion with a succession of new digital currencies entering the cryptocurrency market.

The Responses

The response to digital currencies has been unenthusiastic among financial institutions as well as central banks. Although there are several bodies that have supported cryptocurrencies, numerous central banks continue to be careful taking into consideration the tremendous volatility of the market. Moreover, concerns with capital control as well as tax evasion have directed to several widespread issues.

  • United States Federal Reserve

Jerome Powell, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, deems that technical concerns persist as well as governance and risk management are crucial prior to digital currencies becoming mainstream.

  • European Central Bank

Vitor Constancio, former VP of the European Central Bank, described Bitcoin a “tulip” pertaining to the bubble in the Netherlands in the 17th century. Additionally, a lot of other governors have voiced out comparable skepticism.

  • Bank of England

Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, described cryptocurrencies as part of a finance “revolution” wherein it made the central bank one of the technology’s governmental proponents.

  • Bank of Japan

The Bank of Japan does not envisage a cryptocurrency market.

  • People’s Bank of China

The People’s Bank of China supposes that situations are “ripe” to accept and welcome cryptocurrencies, however the central bank would want complete control. Moreover, authorities are tightening up on the nation’s cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Bearing of Crypto on Global Investments

In terms of transactions that are frictionless and controlling of inflation, cryptocurrencies have numerous benefits, however a lot of investors are including these digital currencies as assets to their expanded and wide-ranging portfolios. To be specific, the market which is non-correlated in nature makes digital currencies a probable border against risk, akin to valuable metals such as gold. Numerous products that are exchange-traded via cryptocurrency have surfaced for this reason.

Conversely, several experts are concerned and fearful that a collapse in the cryptocurrency can have an undesirable bearing on the wider market, like how securities that are backed by mortgage set off a worldwide financial crisis. However, it’s good to note that the entire capitalization in the market of every digital currencies is beneath that of numerous public corporations. This means that it might not have a significant impact or bearing on the global markets.

What Drives The Economy Of A Country?

Posted on by Paden Krystelle

When individuals find themselves in a financially tight situation, they constantly fall back on financial institutions, like banks, as well as lending companies, such as American Pride who offer settlement loans for vehicular accidents, to aid them in this time of financial need. Truth is, millions of individuals across the globe get loans only to be capable of paying basic household expenditures such as utilities and other bills.

The way of life of Americans is established on debt. These credits which amount to billions of US dollars have given a lot of Americans the opportunity to own and be blessed with vehicles, appliances, furniture, stylish apparels, healthcare, vacations, as well as other small procurement.

Consumer Spending Drives the Economy’s GDP

The growth and progress of the economy is driven by consumer spending which is a major factor as it frequently contributes to over half of the GDP of the nation. It’s imperative for businesses and companies, whether small or big scale, to be capable of generating new employments and flourish. If this happen, more people will be able to spend for services and goods, therefore more money will circulate.

Taking out a loan is an individual’s own personal approach to help the economy as well as the overall system. Money will be generated and will be returned back to the nation by means of consumer spending, such as purchases of goods and services as well as other expenses. Hence, a market of consumer finance that is stable and appropriately-regulated has macroeconomic as potentials that would greatly be beneficial to the general economy of the nation. Furthermore, it likewise brings microeconomic advantages by making accessible to individuals reliable as well as inexpensive loans, especially for those with poor or no credit history.

Why Some are Fearful of Taking Out Loans

However, there is a minor stigma that frames the concept of loans. Individuals are fearful of the idea of borrowing money, with ostensibly heavy rates of interest as well as underhanded lenders. But, the truth is, people only tend to mistrust or have doubts about things that they don’t own, and getting a loan isn’t any different. Nonetheless, by merely repaying the loan promptly, you’ll get out of exorbitant interest costs as well as cyclical problems on debt. Loans depend on the reliability, integrity, and honesty of both the borrow and the lender.

Although taking out a loan could do the country good, there is a downside to it, particularly in terms of debt. Debt could be risky for the economy as well. For instance, if the economy goes through a crisis or collapse, a lot of people may find themselves jobless or unemployed which would therefore cause them to have defaults or the incapacity to settle debts.

Ponzi-Scheme and Other Investment Scams on the Rise in the Cryptocurrency Market

Posted on by Jacki Gwenevere

Many cryptocurrency owners are forgetting the primary advantages of using digital money for their transactions, which is that of circumventing the red tapes and charges imposed by traditional financial institutions.

Recently though, not a few have been lured into investing their virtual money into Ponzi-schemes and other similar investment scams using the blockchain technology.

Enticed by the prospect of amassing cryptocurrency without having to mine or earn them as profits in conventional trade transactions, victims easily forget that fraudulent investment schemes can easily circumvent an unregulated financial system.

Ponzi-schemes are the most viable because scammers need only to promise cryptocurrency owners profitable returns. Over time, millions of cryptocurrency owners were lured into becoming members by using the Plus Token app, which they were led to believe as legitimate e wallets.

Unknowingly, Plus Token was also transferring small amounts of digital money to e wallets created for purposes of laundering the money collected from members.

Although Plus Token members may have seen increases in their e-wallet balances, there was no guarantee that such increases were real or had been entered in the blockchain system.

In a real-money Ponzi scheme, profits given to subscribers do not come from real investments, but are only skimmed from contributions of new members. In the blockchain platform, this can be verified only by those who are savvy enough to decrypt the blockchain transactions entered by Plus Token.

How the Plus Token Ponzi Scheme was Unraveled

.Legitimate blockchain-based ewallet operators have actually given warnings about the incredulity of the idea of paying out profits just for using a blockchain-based ewallet.

 

Still, the number of Plus Token memberships reached 10 million in July 2019, which was the same time that Dovey Wan, founder of a legitimate cryptocurrency investment firm called Primitive Ventures, took notice that Plus Token was gradually but continuously selling off cryptocurrencies in small batches.

Ms. Wan immediately tweeted warnings about the Plus Token activities, whilst urging cryptocurrency exchange operators to blacklist the site. She also furnished them with ewallet addresses that appeared to have been beneficiaries of the cryptocurrency sell-offs.

After the alarms were raised and reached proper authorities, six Chinese nationals identified as members of the core team running the Plus Token Ponzi-scheme, were located in the island country of Vanuatu. The South Pacific island country later extradited the six to mainland China.

Token Analyst, a crypto-analytic firm located in London said Plus Token maintained e wallets that they used in laundering money once online mixing services have fused the Plus Token-held cryptocurrencies with other e wallets. That way, details of where the virtual money originated will become obscure.

Online mixing services are actually offering this type of work, which in an unregulated system of financial operation, can do so freely without fear of sanctions.

Other Methods Used by Scammers in Luring Investors to Ponzi Schemes

A promise of profit and fast-talking swindlers are not as effective in order to entice millions of cryptocurrency owners in a short span of time. Other methods are in use in order to make the Ponzi-scheme look truly legitimate;

Use of forum influencers, who take part in the website’s forum to attest to how their digital money has grown since becoming a member.

 

 

Paying recruiters, who also influence potential investors by showing off their newfound wealth at social media sites; when actually, the money they earned were commissions earned for every new member they recruited.

In today’s high tech advancements, there are now sophisticated software that can interact with Telegram, an Internet-based messaging system popular among cryptocurrency users. Tech savvy scammers find legitimate methods of responding to inquiries about ewallet account balances. That way, the lured investor will read what he or she is hoping for: the money promised already appears in one’s account.

Terrorism Caused A Surge In Travel Insurance Demands

Posted on by Regan Andre

Terrorist attacks make a huge impact on the economy and the travel industry as a whole. Nonetheless, this also resulted in a surge of travel insurance attention in the past years.

Terrorism Coverage – Travel Insurance Benefit

Several insurance firms observed increasing attention in travel insurance following a cord of terrorist attacks in France. A policy provider said that from the time Paris had been attacked, travel insurance agencies had been getting a spike of phone calls from vacationers wanting to protect their travels using travel insurance.

The State Division of the United States recently released an international travel advisory regarding the issue of terrorist attacks and the requirement for travel safety precautions. The memo prompted a lot of travelers to buy travel insurance for security.

It was noted that one of the most comprehensive and cheapest travel insurance in Singapore allows customers terminate or disturb their travel plans in case of a terrorist-related incident happens from a particular distance from the destination or when it happens in the destination itself. The trip could be canceled or delayed for some time before arrival.

Various policies evidently sport various meaning of terrorism. A number of providers may not keep to the globally accepted meaning of terrorism released by the U.S. government, instead, they make their own definition. Most of these travel insurance agencies combine these into their particular travel insurance guidelines.

The United States Terrorism Definition

The U.S. government’s meaning of terrorism differs from those generally set in policies because it particularly differentiates terrorism from a civil disorder or simple riot. Possibly since they have to stick to the trend or merely cautious to supply more reliable reasons for protection. A few travel insurance guidelines do not let their clientele cancellation because of terrorism. Numerous providers dissuade canceling especially if an insurance policy is bought after any release of travel alert.

Make certain that your plan has coverage for “Cancel for Any Reason”. This can serve your very best interest. Even though it is just an elective benefit, you will be provided the chance to terminate approximately two days prior to your planned departure for almost any explanation – possibly even explanations not established in or included in the travel insurance coverage. You may also be reimbursed as much as 75 % of non-refundable travel costs.

One more thing you need to note. Trip termination or interruption only addresses non-refundable travel expenses. You are not covered for costs that could be refunded. For example, if the air travel company gives a coupon for a trip terminated because of terrorism or weather conditions, you may no more claim any kind of benefit coming from your provider aside from other expenses you suffered.

Multi Level Marketing and Pyramid Schemes, Are They Different?

Posted on by Jacki Gwenevere

Multi Level Marketing (MLM) and Pyramid Scheme are in some ways different, but share one thing in common. The people who invest during the later part of the marketing operation or pyramiding scheme are the ones who end up empty handed. .

Back in the days when product brands like Tupperware, Amway, Avon, and The Pampered Chef were still popular, a lot of women found those MLM businesses as good sources of supplementary income. Yet the MLMs of before provided support by training sellers free of charge, and allowed members to sell only on consignment;

Why Today’s MLMs are Similar to Pyramid Schemes

The problem with today’s MLMs is that to become a seller, one must buy into the business by paying beforehand, a subscription fee. In return, subscribing members receive goods to sell equal in worth to the value as the subscription fee they paid.

In order to gain quick returns on their initial investment, they are encouraged to recruit members who will be their so-called “downliners” and earn a commission for every new recruit. In the same way, new recruits will invite friends and family members to join the MLM business, so they can also earn commissions.

The initial recruiter creates her own network of members and from every level, stands to gain a commission on each new recruit, down to the latest level of “downliners.” If they get to sell their inventory, the better; as it means they were able to get back their initial investment. In the meantime, if their network of members keep growing, money coming in as commissions from “downliners,” practically poses as profits realized from joining the MLM business.

This system works well for those who joined early on, but hardly compensatory for late joiners, since the market eventually becomes saturated. Even the product they were supposed to sell, will no longer be viable in a saturated market. That is why MLMs purporting themselves as legit businesses eventually operate the way pyramid schemes do.

How Do Pyramid Schemers Scam People?

Pyramid Schemes basically operate in ways similar to MLMs but are different in some aspects. While MLMs sell a particular product, Pyramid Schemes sell “dreams,” usually targeting people who want to strike it big in as little time as possible.

In a get-rich-quick-scheme, participants need only to convince a specific number of new investors, 3 at the least. The 3 recruits will likewise try to convince another set of 3, and so it goes with every new recruit in each level. In the process, the number of new investors multiply at the bottom line, forming a pyramid with the agents and the founders positioned at the top.

Since every recruiter earns a percentage from the money invested by the network of recruits, those at the top has a longer string of money to claim and collect as earnings than those in the middle and bottom levels of the pyramid. In the event that no more new recruits bring in fresh funds, the scheme collapses; leaving many of those at the lower level of the pyramid with nothing to claim at all, not even the money they invested.

Inasmuch as the founders and the agents are aware when their scheme is about to unravel, they have enough time to pack up and disappear. They will lay low for awhile in order to elude any ensuing investigations. Once the furor over the scam dies down, they will once again start a new pyramid scheme in another location.