Archive | May 2008
Would you work with a company that is deliberately misleading blog readers?
Recently I’ve posted a couple of articles about my disappointment with LinkedIn. It’s my opinion that for most professionals it’s a complete waste of time. Actual benefits from it are few and far between, unless you’re looking for a job or you’re a headhunter. This morning there was a pending comment here on one of those [...]
Continue reading...Las Vegas: Recession or no?
21 May 2008
I love Las Vegas. And when my fellow WalletPopper Zac Bissonnette decided to write a story about how recession-like times (no, we’re not really in a recession) have hit Vegas hard, I was saddened. I said to him, “Are you sure there’s really a recession there? Cuz I just tried to book a room and [...]
Continue reading...Church fraud article live
20 May 2008
As promised, my article on church fraud is live here: Let the Faithful Pray There’s No Fraud. I’ve been investigating a couple of cases of church fraud lately, and it makes me sad to think that people will steal from churches, of all places. Sadly, many churches make it all too easy for the [...]
Continue reading...At least the Business Journal agrees with me about LinkedIn
20 May 2008
Much to my dismay, the Business Journal of Milwaukee ran a piece raving about the usefulness about LinkedIn, the modern day version of a chain letter. Last week I talked about how it’s nothing more than an annoying tool ultimately used by headhunters and sales people. Real connections and real value derived from the service [...]
Continue reading...Deception in the sale of the United First Financial product?
20 May 2008
I found this interesting description of the deception involved in selling the United First Financial program to unsuspecting consumers for $3,500:
Continue reading...Another outrageous overtime situation in Wisconsin
19 May 2008
Lately there have been several stories about government employees and overtime pay. I covered the gaming of the overtime/sick leave system by jail guards, and recently there was also a report on excessive overtime with nurses and other state employees. This week it’s employees of the Milwaukee Police Department. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported in September [...]
Continue reading...Shut up about the economy already!
19 May 2008
My friend Tim Sykes (author, entrepreneur, reality TV star, mildly obnoxious stock trader) said this today far better than I could hope to say it:
Continue reading...Herbalife products contain unsafe levels of lead
19 May 2008
“The Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) products that were analyzed contain levels of lead that are in excess of what the law allows under California’s Safe Drinking and Toxic Environment Act of 1994 more commonly known as Prop. 65,” says lawyer and dietary supplement and Prop. 65 expert Christopher Grell in a letter to the Fraud Discovery Institute [...]
Continue reading...Running a profitable franchise
18 May 2008
Owning a franchise can be the best and the worst of times. Franchises are successful because the parent company has a proven business model, excellent training and business development guidelines, a brand that has a lot of goodwill with customers, and advertising leverage that a single owner could never have. On the bad side, they are [...]
Continue reading...This week’s WalletPop personal finance articles
18 May 2008
You’re not going to miss $5,000 - Politicians spending your money again! Don’t spend my tax dollars to prove the Patriots are cheaters! - Yes, we know they’re cheaters. Get over it! More discounts at Wal-Mart benefit consumers across the board - Wal-Mart haters take note: They’ve helped keep prices low, wherever you shop. The right to play [...]
Continue reading...- A new pyramid scheme: United First Financial
- Mary Kay Cosmetics: Destroying half a million women a year
- Ufirst Money Merge Account: Resistance is futile
- The Sarah Palin pregnancy cover-up that wasn't (updated)
- What does Dave Ramsey think about United First Financial
- Vendor talks, Usana squawks
- United First Financial agent compensation plan
- Why can't I pee on my neighbor's lawn?
- $3,500 wasted with United First Financial, per Dave Ramsey
- Searching for Shop to Earn scam
- Tracy Coenen: Oh.. And if you really want to pay $3,800 toward your mortgage...
- Tracy Coenen: Maurice - You’ve fallen for their crap. $5,000 on your...
- maurice: Tracey, Again, I’m not in favor of purchasing software or...
- Tracy Coenen: Well Paul, you apparently agree with me as well. This has been...
- Paul Haley: Has anyone here actually read anything I’ve written any...
- Tracy Coenen: So what Paul is saying is that there is some link between human...
- Lee D: Climate Change is Identity Politics at it’s highest level. And...
- Duped: Good gracious! Sounds like we have another Al Gore here....
- Paul Haley: Lee, There’s no straw man there. Man wasn’t...
- Lee D: Way to mix affirming the consequent with a straw man argument, Paul....
- SEC employees more worried about future careers than actual enforcement?
- “Climate change”: Just another fraud on consumers
- Latest numbers: MPS still sucks
- Property tax sticker shock
- More TARP secrecy
- Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme investor losses: Recovery?
- Barry Minkow and Fraud Discovery Institute release proof of James Peterson’s (Microsemi Corp) lies
- James Peterson expands the lie; Microsemi board doesn’t care
- Planned Parenthood violating Indiana’s sexual abuse laws
- More public company executives with falsified credentials
About the Author
Tracy Coenen is a forensic accountant and fraud examiner who investigates white collar crimes, including cases of financial statement fraud, embezzlement, tax fraud, and insurance fraud. She is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud and more than 100 articles on fraud featured in industry publications.
21 May 2008
5 Comments