Economics, Advice, Personal Finance DINARRECAPS8 Economics, Advice, Personal Finance DINARRECAPS8

Elon Musk Warns US Will Face ‘Day Of Reckoning’ For Its Debt With ‘No Way’ To Fix Issue

Elon Musk Warns US Will Face ‘Day Of Reckoning’ For Its Debt With ‘No Way’ To Fix Issue

 How To Shockproof Your Nest Egg

Jing Pan   Wed, November 5, 2025   Moneywise

America’s ballooning debt burden has become impossible to ignore — and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who took a stab at tackling government waste earlier this year, is sounding the alarm again.

On a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, Musk outlined what he believes is — and isn’t — possible when it comes to fixing the U.S. national debt crisis.  “You can make it directionally better, but ultimately you can't fully fix the system,” Musk said. “Unless you could go super draconian — like Genghis Khan level on cutting waste and fraud — which you can't really do in an aspirationally democratic country, then there's no way to solve the debt crisis.” (1)

Elon Musk Warns US Will Face ‘Day Of Reckoning’ For Its Debt With ‘No Way’ To Fix Issue

 How To Shockproof Your Nest Egg

Jing Pan   Wed, November 5, 2025   Moneywise

America’s ballooning debt burden has become impossible to ignore — and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who took a stab at tackling government waste earlier this year, is sounding the alarm again.

On a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, Musk outlined what he believes is — and isn’t — possible when it comes to fixing the U.S. national debt crisis.  “You can make it directionally better, but ultimately you can't fully fix the system,” Musk said. “Unless you could go super draconian — like Genghis Khan level on cutting waste and fraud — which you can't really do in an aspirationally democratic country, then there's no way to solve the debt crisis.” (1)

Musk called the debt “insane” — and the numbers support his concern. U.S. federal debt has now surpassed $38 trillion and continues to climb.

But what really set off alarm bells for Musk wasn’t just the total — it was the cost of servicing it.

“The interest payments on the debt exceed our entire military budget … that was one of the wake up calls for me … this is crazy,” he said.

He’s not wrong. Treasury data shows the U.S. government spent $970 billion on net interest in fiscal year-to-date 2025 — more than the $917 billion spent on national defense.

Musk’s conclusion? Spending cuts alone won’t solve it.

“Even if you implement all these savings, you're only delaying the day of reckoning for when America goes bankrupt,” he said. “So I came to the conclusion that the only way to get us out of the debt crisis and to prevent America from going bankrupt is AI and robotics. We need to grow the economy at a rate that allows us to pay off our debt.”

Musk isn’t the only one sounding alarms over America’s debt — or, more specifically, the soaring interest costs tied to it. Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, has warned that the U.S. is heading toward a “debt death spiral,” where the government  must borrow simply to pay interest — a vicious cycle that feeds on itself.

But unlike Musk, Dalio doesn’t foresee a formal bankruptcy.

“There won't be a default — the central bank will come in and we'll print the money and buy it,” he said. “And that's where there's the depreciation of money.”

In other words, the government may never technically run out of dollars — but those dollars can lose value fast.

As the hosts of the “Words & Numbers” podcast put it: “Technically speaking, the government can’t go bankrupt because it only promised to hand over a certain number of dollars; it didn’t promise what the value of those dollars would be. (2)

Because the value of the dollars was never specified, the government can print enough to render the dollars nearly worthless. To the rest of us, the effect is the same as the government going bankrupt.”

Many economists share that concern: high debt levels can fuel inflation, eroding the dollar’s purchasing power — something Americans are already experiencing. (3) According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, $100 in 2025 has the same buying power as $12.05 did in 1970. (4)

The good news? Savvy investors have long found ways to protect their wealth — regardless of Washington’s fiscal missteps.

A safe-haven shines again

To shock-proof your investments, Dalio emphasized the value of diversification — and highlighted one time-tested asset in particular.

“People don't have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,” he said. “When bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier.”

Gold is considered a go-to safe haven. It can’t be printed out of thin air like fiat money and because it’s not tied to any single country, currency or economy, investors flock to it during periods of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty, driving up its value.

Dalio noted that central banks themselves are “acquiring gold now as a diversifier” — and says it’s “prudent” for individuals to consider allocating “somewhere between 10% or 15%” of their portfolios to the precious metal.

TO READ MORE:  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/elon-musk-warns-us-face-124300387.html

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Keeping Too Much Cash In Your Bank Account Could Be A Costly Mistake

Keeping Too Much Cash In Your Bank Account Could Be A Costly Mistake

Vishesh Raisinghani   Sun, November 2, 2025   Moneywise

Keeping too much cash in your bank account could be a costly mistake — here’s how to know if you’ve got too much

Cash is king, right?

Well, not always. Sometimes you can have so much cash sitting around in your bank account that it turns into a wealth-devouring demon.  On average, American families had about $62,410 in their checking accounts, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. For most people, that balance is simply higher than it should be.

Keeping Too Much Cash In Your Bank Account Could Be A Costly Mistake

Vishesh Raisinghani   Sun, November 2, 2025   Moneywise

Keeping too much cash in your bank account could be a costly mistake — here’s how to know if you’ve got too much

Cash is king, right?

Well, not always. Sometimes you can have so much cash sitting around in your bank account that it turns into a wealth-devouring demon.  On average, American families had about $62,410 in their checking accounts, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. For most people, that balance is simply higher than it should be.

Here’s why keeping too much cash on hand could be a serious mistake and a significant drag on your financial health.

The inflation tax

As of October 2025, the average national deposit rate on a checking account is just 0.07%, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (1). That’s nowhere near enough interest to offset the rising cost of living.

In September, annual inflation was 3.0%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2). That means the average checking account is earning approximately 43x less than the rate of inflation.

But inflation isn’t the only problem. Idle cash also carries opportunity cost: that's the money you leave on the table when you don’t invest in assets that can generate income or growth.

What to do with cash instead

To fight inflation, consider moving some of your money into short- or medium-term securities with higher yields.

For example, Vanguard’s Federal Money Market Fund (VMFXX) offered a 4.08% yield as of September 26 (3). That’s higher than the current inflation rate, which can make it a better option than a checking account to preserve your purchasing power.

If you’re more concerned about opportunity cost, you might look into a low-cost index fund with higher risk – but also, the potential for higher return. Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF (VOO) has delivered a compounded annual growth rate of 14.7% since its 2010 debut (4). And although past performance does not guarantee future returns, the point stands: keeping cash idle means missing out on growth potential.

You can easily invest in assets like VOO when you use platforms such as Acorns. When you make a purchase on your credit or debit card, Acorns automatically rounds up the price to the nearest dollar and places the excess — the coins that would wind up in your pocket if you were paying cash — into a smart investment portfolio.

Their smart portfolios give you exposure to assets such as VOO, while ensuring you’re diversified across a number of different investments.

 

TO READ MORE:  https://finance.yahoo.com/news/keeping-too-much-cash-bank-125500572.html

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Terrifying High-Tech Bank Scam Drains Your Life Savings In Seconds

Terrifying High-Tech Bank Scam Drains Your Life Savings In Seconds — and ‘devastated’ victims are sounding the alarm

Asia Grace  Mon, October 27, 2025  NY Post

Noel Phillips can’t believe he was cleaned out so quickly — and easily.

The New York millennial was bled dry earlier this year by a group of scammers who used phone number-spoofing technology — software used to misleadingly alter caller ID information — to empty his bank account, taking all of his life savings, totaling nearly $30,000.

“It’s devastating,” Phillips, 33, a journalist and an NYC transplant from London, exclusively told The Post. “I can still hear the voices of the people who called me, posing as employees of Chase Bank, claiming there had been fraudulent activity on my account.”

Terrifying High-Tech Bank Scam Drains Your Life Savings In Seconds — and ‘devastated’ victims are sounding the alarm

Asia Grace  Mon, October 27, 2025  NY Post

Noel Phillips can’t believe he was cleaned out so quickly — and easily.

The New York millennial was bled dry earlier this year by a group of scammers who used phone number-spoofing technology — software used to misleadingly alter caller ID information — to empty his bank account, taking all of his life savings, totaling nearly $30,000.

“It’s devastating,” Phillips, 33, a journalist and an NYC transplant from London, exclusively told The Post. “I can still hear the voices of the people who called me, posing as employees of Chase Bank, claiming there had been fraudulent activity on my account.”

“They used fear tactics to basically hypnotize me into handing over all the money I’d worked so hard to earn and save over the last four years,” he added.

Deborah Moss, a 65-year-old caretaker from Northern California, was previously thunderstruck by a similar wave of devastation when an imposter targeted her, draining her Chase account of a shocking $162,000 in 2020.

“I started screaming like you wouldn’t believe,” Moss recently told The Post. “I was, like, ‘Oh, my f—king God.’ I was just hysterical. That was all my money.”

That’s the sinister trickery of business imposter scams, which have been on a steady rise, outpacing romance scams, family and friend scams and tech support scams over the past five years.

The crime now ranks as the No.1 consumer complaint of 2025, per data provided to The Post by the Federal Trade Commission.

As of late June, the FTC, which protects folks from deceptive and unjust business practices, has been inundated with over 516,000 imposter scam complaints — totaling almost $1.7 million in losses.

To get their paws on a target’s money, imposter scammers often call — or email, text or direct message — a victim, pretending to be a representative from a trusted, established company. They typically claim that there’s been some sort of privacy breach or unauthorized dealings on their account.

After spinning a falsified yarn about an alleged faux pas, the wolves in sheep’s clothing create a sense of urgency and panic about the situation, convincing their prey to hastily transfer large sums of money or divulge personal information to avoid any further malfeasance.

But in reality, they’re the bad guys, siphoning cash and info for their own greedy gain.

And imposter scammers don’t limit their villainy to masquerading as reps for financial institutions like Bank of America or TD Bank — just two of the corporations that Upper East Side granny Nina Mortellito, 86, is suing in New York state court, alleging they failed to protect her from a $700,000 con.

In August 2023, she was allegedly targeted via a pop-up window that falsely warned that her bank accounts were about to be hacked, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this month.

Over the course of nine months, Mortellito, who suffers from age-related memory issues, was allegedly convinced by fraudsters to make a series of unusual withdrawals, totaling anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, from Merrill Lynch, TD Bank and UBS accounts, according to court papers.

Although the banks were aware she was vulnerable to scammers, they didn’t raise any alarms, the lawsuit charged.

The Post has reached out to Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, TD Bank and UBS for comment.

Robert Georges, Mortellito’s attorney, told The Post he’s inundated with bank imposter fraud cases from victims plagued with “devastation, embarrassment, confusion and upset” following the violation.

“There’s this fear about how they’re going to live without their life savings,” he added. “This is a well-known epidemic in America. All the banks are aware that this is a major problem, but we don’t feel that banks are doing a reasonable job to protect people. We’re bringing these lawsuits to hopefully effect change.”

Mortellito and her lawyer are seeking unspecified damages against the banks, whom they’re suing for negligence, The Post previously reported.

In addition to impersonating bankers in the name of fraud, ne’er-do-wells also commonly pose as customer service staffers for popular retailers, delivery service couriers or utility company workers, just to name a few.

Christopher Brown, a lawyer with the FTC’s Division of Marketing Practices, calls the swindles “sophisticated” and credits the prevalence of artificial intelligence with helping fraudsters seem legitimate.

“AI can certainly amplify the scams, making them more believable,” Brown told The Post, noting the multitude of AI-powered spoofing and voice-hijacking tools available to perps. “They’re trying to gain your trust, making you believe they are who they’re claiming to be.”

The Federal Communications Commission reports that US consumers receive approximately 4 billion spoofed calls, including automated robocalls, from money-hungry scammers each month.

To combat the crisis, the FCC recently implemented its STIR/SHAKEN framework. It’s an industry-standard caller ID authentication technology that validates the legitimacy of calls, allowing the phone company of the receiver to verify that a call is, in fact, from the number displayed on the caller ID.

 

TO READ MOREhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/terrifying-high-tech-bank-scam-192105932.html

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Catfish Scams — How To Spot Red Flags

Catfish Scams — How To Spot Red Flags

Will Kenton  Sun, October 26, 2025   Moneywise

Missouri woman's late-in-life love story turns into a Ramsey Show warning about catfish scams — how to spot red flags

Nicky from Missouri called into the The Ramsey Show with a late-in-life love tale. (1) She, a 68-year-old widow, has met a man, an 81-year-old widower, who wants to marry her. At first it seems like a heart-warming story, but when co-hosts hosts Jade Warshaw and Ken Coleman started asking questions, things went sideways fast.

Catfish Scams — How To Spot Red Flags

Will Kenton  Sun, October 26, 2025   Moneywise

Missouri woman's late-in-life love story turns into a Ramsey Show warning about catfish scams — how to spot red flags

Nicky from Missouri called into the The Ramsey Show with a late-in-life love tale. (1) She, a 68-year-old widow, has met a man, an 81-year-old widower, who wants to marry her. At first it seems like a heart-warming story, but when co-hosts hosts Jade Warshaw and Ken Coleman started asking questions, things went sideways fast.

Nicky started asking if she should mix her finances with her new suitor. She indicated her savings were much larger than his. The co-hosts asked how they met, and she told them that they had met on Facebook in a group for widows and widowers. They bonded when he told her about a woman he had been seeing. He was giving her money, and even though he supposedly has a pension that pays over $100,000 per year, Nicky felt she was taking advantage of him. The relationship apparently ended soon afterward, and Nicky ended up as his new lady.

She then admitted she’d never seen him face to face. In fact, he lives six hours away. Wedding bells turned to alarm bells as Jade and Ken pulled more suspicious details out of her.

When they expressed dismay at the idea that she’d even think about marrying a man sight-unseen, she said “he is too open and honest!”

Coleman laid it all on the table: “Nicky, you have a hook in both sides of your mouth right now, and this needs to stop.”

Without proof to the contrary, he suggested she might be the victim of a catfish or romance scam.

Scams Preying On The Elderly Are Common

Romance scams are a big slice of the fraud problem for older adults. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report shows people 60 and over filed 147,127 complaints with reported losses of about $4.8 billion. Confidence and romance fraud alone accounted for 7,632 of those complaints and $389 million in losses.

TO READ MORE:  https://finance.yahoo.com/news/missouri-womans-life-love-story-100000867.html

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50 Things To Do Right Now To Save Money

50 Things To Do Right Now To Save Money

J. Arky  Thu, October 23, 2025  GOBankingRates

If there is one thing that is always on our minds, it is how to save money. In the last quarter of 2025, that question looms larger than ever, as inflation threatens to wreak havoc on the average person’s finances and prices continue to skyrocket on everyday purchases.

There are plenty of ways to make sure that you are saving money as the year wraps up and they are pretty simple too. Following just a few could help you roll into the new year with a savings account in the black.

50 Things To Do Right Now To Save Money

J. Arky  Thu, October 23, 2025  GOBankingRates

If there is one thing that is always on our minds, it is how to save money. In the last quarter of 2025, that question looms larger than ever, as inflation threatens to wreak havoc on the average person’s finances and prices continue to skyrocket on everyday purchases.

There are plenty of ways to make sure that you are saving money as the year wraps up and they are pretty simple too. Following just a few could help you roll into the new year with a savings account in the black.

Here Are Top Things To Do To Save Money In Late 2025.

  • Set up an automatic savings plan for your paychecks so a portion of your income goes directly into your savings account.

  • Plan a staycation rather than a vacation, that way you get to rest and relax without having to spend money on travel, lodging and restaurants.

  • Cancel at least one “fun subscription” that you hardly ever use or have only used once before, making it one less expense you have to worry about.

  • Write up a meal plan for each week from now and until New Years Day, then go back and see how much you ended up spending compared to the first three-quarters of the year.

  • If there is a minor maintenance job on your car, like an oil change, figure out how to do it yourself and skip paying a mechanic to charge you for the service.

  • Check your wardrobe for items that might have holes and learn how to stitch them, giving your clothes a second round of life and avoiding a costly shopping trip.

  • Sign up for a library card for access to free books, music, movies and more.

  • Try shopping for groceries at a discount store where you can get the same products you would at a name brand supermarket for much less.

  • Instead of holiday shopping, try a DIY approach and make simple, festive gifts for everyone on your list.

  • Buy a water filter that fits your budget, as well as a reusable water bottle and ditch plastic water bottles for 2025 and beyond.

  • For any fun winter outdoor activities like skiing or snowboarding, try renting instead of buying, especially if you only hit the slopes once a year.

  • Set up a “blotto” account or in other words, an account that you can put money into and use for whatever you want without having to dip into checking, savings or other accounts.

  • Instead of cranking up the thermostat and blasting the heat, wear a heavy sweater or snuggle up under a blanket during cold weather.

TO READ MORE:   https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/50-things-now-save-money-160018034.html

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Let’s Take a Quick Pause and Look Back at History

Let’s Take a Quick Pause and Look Back at History

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)  October 23, 2025

In light of this week’s roller-coaster gold ride, I thought it would be useful to turn once again back to the lessons of history and revisit what we discussed recently about the 1970s.

Foreign governments and central banks around the world had been becoming increasingly concerned about the US government’s outrageous fiscal deficits as early as the mid-1960s.

Let’s Take a Quick Pause and Look Back at History

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)  October 23, 2025

In light of this week’s roller-coaster gold ride, I thought it would be useful to turn once again back to the lessons of history and revisit what we discussed recently about the 1970s.

Foreign governments and central banks around the world had been becoming increasingly concerned about the US government’s outrageous fiscal deficits as early as the mid-1960s.

French President Charles de Gaulle sounded the alarm about America’s costly war in Vietnam, combined with historic welfare spending, and he began demanding that the Treasury Department redeem a portion of France’s US dollar holdings for gold.

Decades ago, that was his right because under the post–World War II Bretton Woods system, the US dollar was convertible into gold at a rate of $35 per ounce.

By 1971, foreigners’ demands to exchange their dollars for gold had become so great that Richard Nixon formally ended the convertibility once and for all.

Nixon downplayed any impact, telling Americans on August 15, 1971, “your dollar will be worth just as much tomorrow as it is today.”

The reality is the dollar went on to lose 75% of its value throughout the course of the decade. And if anything, Nixon’s move only encouraged foreigners to dump their dollars at an even more rapid pace.

As a result, the price of gold skyrocketed fivefold as governments and central banks around the world diversified out of the dollar and into gold.

We’ve been seeing this same move over the past couple of years—insatiable foreign and central bank appetite has driven gold prices from $1,800 a couple of years ago to over $4,000 today.

Obviously, over the past few months, there has been a lot of individual investor capital flowing into ETFs, hedge fund speculation, and similar vehicles. But in the long run, gold’s rise has been—and will continue to be—driven by foreign government and central bank diversification out of the dollar.

In 1975, gold hit a temporary peak at around $185 per ounce. After a period of consolidation, in which there was a significant price correction, gold then resumed its ascent, rising all the way to $850.

The point is that regardless of any short-term price correction, the fundamental driver—foreign governments and central banks diversifying out of the US dollar—hadn’t changed.

It took the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 to finally restore credibility in the US government’s finances. Reagan, of course, campaigned on cutting the deficit, sparking a long-term trend which culminated in multiple budget surpluses in the late 1990s.

This renewed confidence in US government finances is what ultimately reversed the trend on gold prices, causing the price to collapse below $300 by the end of the 90s.

I believe we’re in a similar situation today as in 1975.

Gold had a significant correction earlier this week, but the price remained above $4,000.

Perhaps this is the start of a lull period, or even a correction phase as in 1975, but it doesn’t fundamentally change the story right now: foreign governments and central banks are aggressively trying to diversify their US dollar strategic reserves, and gold is one of the only assets that makes sense.

I’m not here to say “buy gold” at $4,000. But based on the trajectory of the US government’s finances, the price of gold should go much higher over the next few years.

I don’t say this because I’m a “gold bug.” I don’t have any irrational fascination with a piece of metal. Rather, my outlook is based on a clear understanding of global central banking and strategic reserve assets, coupled with the obvious deterioration in the US government’s fiscal condition.

But I also understand that after an almost uninterrupted and astonishing rise to nearly $4,400, gold may be due for a correction—similar to what happened in 1975.

The reality is, no one knows for sure. Gold could just as easily rise to $5,000 as drop to $3,500.

I’d point out, however, that there are still a number of high-quality gold, platinum, and silver businesses that are wildly undervalued and extremely profitable—and they will continue to be extremely profitable even if there is a steep decline in gold prices.

For example, one of the companies we featured in our premium investment research service is producing gold at a price of just $1,000 per ounce. This means the price of gold could fall below $3,000, and this company would still be making money hand over fist—and trading at just 5x earnings based on today’s stock price.

Did I mention they pay a handsome dividend?

To me, the long-term case for gold is crystal clear—foreign governments and central banks will continue to by gold unless there is a fundamental change in Congress’s attitude toward the US budget deficit. And I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

The short-term case for gold over the next couple of months is anyone’s guess. It could go higher, it could go lower. And that’s why I think some of these ultra-cheap, highly profitable, well-managed, largely debt-free gold companies are really worth considering.

When the long-term case for gold is so obvious, it’s a sensible strategy to own a business that has so much gold exposure, pays a dividend, and can continue to be extremely profitable—even if there’s a short-term gold correction.

 

To your freedom, James Hickman  Co-Founder, Schiff Sovereign LLC

 

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/lets-take-a-quick-pause-and-look-back-at-history-153763/?inf_contact_key=706a9940a551999316ba9db994fda20397b2b8bcba9ab28a88f19442e6c88399

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Wells Fargo Customer Lost $4,400 Just Hours After Depositing A Check

Wells Fargo Customer Lost $4,400 Just Hours After Depositing A Check — and a legal loophole nearly left her in the lurch

Mike Crisolago  Mon, October 20, 2025

A Houston woman paid a steep price, literally, for a simple bank deposit that she made at her local Wells Fargo branch.

Willie Delane told her local Fox 26 network that on September 15 she deposited a life insurance check totalling $10,000 into her Wells Fargo bank account.

“I've been with Wells Fargo for so long, years and years” she said in the story. This is why, when she received a text roughly nine hours later saying that there was something fishy with a transaction involving her account, she called customer service. (1)

Wells Fargo Customer Lost $4,400 Just Hours After Depositing A Check — and a legal loophole nearly left her in the lurch

Mike Crisolago  Mon, October 20, 2025

A Houston woman paid a steep price, literally, for a simple bank deposit that she made at her local Wells Fargo branch.

Willie Delane told her local Fox 26 network that on September 15 she deposited a life insurance check totalling $10,000 into her Wells Fargo bank account.

“I've been with Wells Fargo for so long, years and years” she said in the story. This is why, when she received a text roughly nine hours later saying that there was something fishy with a transaction involving her account, she called customer service. (1)

According to Delane, the Wells Fargo rep said that they would freeze her account and cancel her bank card, with a replacement to be issued by mail.

The next morning, however, Delane discovered that her account was $4,400 short — the money was transferred from her savings account to her checking account, and then withdrawn.

She says she didn’t make the “teletransfer” but Wells Fargo claims she did, and at first refused to refund the money. But all's well that ends well — after the news report aired, Delane says she checked her account and Wells Fargo returned the missing funds to her account. (2)

How could a simple text message result in a $4,400 fraud? And how can you prevent it from happening to you?

The Legal Loophole That Could Cost You Thousands

The CalCoast Times reports that, when contacting Wells Fargo about the text message she received, Delane called the customer service number listed in the message. (3) This could be a sticking point in the fraud case due to a law called Regulation E within the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA).

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), (4) Regulation E essentially protects Americans who fall victim to suspected fraud via an electronic transfer of funds from their financial institution. They add that if a case that falls under Regulation E is reported to a financial institution in a timely manner, then the institution must “promptly investigate” and “correct the error within one business day after determining that an error has occurred.”

That said, Consumer Reports (CR) points out that if a customer is “tricked and ends up authorizing money to be sent to scammers,” the banks are often no longer liable for reimbursing them. (5)

And not only that, but National Consumer Law Center senior attorney Carla Sanchez-Adams told CR that “Financial institutions across the board are not reimbursing consumers” in such situations but, rather, “fight(ing) tooth-and-nail to hold the consumer liable.”

CR adds that Wells Fargo faced multiple class-action lawsuits in recent years from victims of fraudulent wire transfers, while customers at other banks are falling prey as well.

The bank, for the record, says it’s investigating this most recent matter, though the Fox 26 story notes that Wells Fargo had previously claimed that Delane “made the transactions and the money will not be returned.”

How to fight back against financial fraud

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported $12.5 billion in consumer fraud losses last year, a number, they said, that’s up 25% from 2023. (6) The fraud ranges from investment to imposter scams, with text messages proving the third most popular means of contact for the con after email and phone calls.

TO READ MORE:  https://finance.yahoo.com/news/wells-fargo-customer-loses-4k-220000160.html

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What If Gold Crashes To $3,000 Per Ounce?

What If Gold Crashes To $3,000 Per Ounce?

Notes From the Field by James Hickman (Simon Black)  October 16, 2025

A little over a month ago, in early September, after careful analysis and detailed study, my team and I reached an important conclusion. And we started telling our audience almost immediately.

Gold had just crossed $3,500 per ounce, silver had just crossed $40, and many gold and silver mining companies had experienced astonishing gains.

 Of course none of this came as a surprise to our readers. We’ve been saying for the past few years that gold in particular was going to go much higher, specifically because foreign governments and central banks were buying up gold by the metric ton as a way to diversify their strategic reserves away from the US dollar.

What If Gold Crashes To $3,000 Per Ounce?

Notes From the Field by James Hickman (Simon Black)  October 16, 2025

A little over a month ago, in early September, after careful analysis and detailed study, my team and I reached an important conclusion. And we started telling our audience almost immediately.

Gold had just crossed $3,500 per ounce, silver had just crossed $40, and many gold and silver mining companies had experienced astonishing gains.

 Of course none of this came as a surprise to our readers. We’ve been saying for the past few years that gold in particular was going to go much higher, specifically because foreign governments and central banks were buying up gold by the metric ton as a way to diversify their strategic reserves away from the US dollar.

 That extra demand from central banks totaling a few hundred billion dollars sent gold prices rocketing higher. And we also said this trend would continue.

 Similarly over the past couple of years, as we were predicting higher gold and silver prices, we also predicted that mining companies would benefit, and generate record revenues and record profits as a result.

At the time those mining companies had been left for dead in financial markets, with share prices so cheap they were practically being given away.

We told our audience over and over again in print and in our podcasts that this wouldn’t last, and that mining companies would surge in value.

And that’s exactly what happened. In fact, many of the companies we featured in our premium investment research are up 3x, 4x, 5x, even 6x this year alone.

 But early last month we realized there was another near term catalyst that would likely send these companies’ share prices even higher. These businesses are all publicly traded, and so they have to report their earnings, usually every quarter.

 Q1 earnings were great. Q2 earnings were fantastic. But we realized that gold and silver had been rising so quickly, that Q3 earnings—which would be reported sometime in October—would just be out of this world.

We did the math and crunched the numbers ourselves, and based on our analysis, even companies that had risen 4 or 5x were still undervalued based on projected Q3 earnings.

And we anticipated that for many of these companies, their share prices would jump after their Q3 earnings were announced.

 The first of those companies reported its earnings earlier this week, and we were absolutely right. Its record profit dazzled investors, and its share price jumped nearly 20% in a day.

It’s also up almost 52% since we made this prediction a month ago.

 We’ve also done the math to see what would happen to these businesses if there were a sudden drop in precious metals prices.

 Well, to give you an example one of the companies we featured in our investment research, which is up more than 5x, would still be incredibly undervalued.

Based on our analysis, even if gold were to drop below $3,000—roughly 30% from here—that company would still be making money hand over fist, and based on its current share price, still trading at around 5.5x earnings.

Oh, and did I mention they pay a substantial dividend?

It’s not that every mining company is in the same boat. There are thousands of companies out there, and many are just terrible businesses with pitiful management and terrible balance sheets.

 But if you’re willing to do the hard work and find the highest quality management, and the most pristine balance sheets, there are still undervalued gems out there.

 This is what we focus on in our premium investment research.

 And we believe that many of them could see similar upside over the next few weeks as they report bonanza Q3 earnings.



To your freedom,  James Hickman   Co-Founder, Schiff Sovereign LLC

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/what-if-gold-crashes-to-3000-per-ounce-153717/?inf_contact_key=e73c6360b05b8aa64ae174142d3d925745f52772a67910d275469a1ff0808c0a

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Advice, Personal Finance DINARRECAPS8 Advice, Personal Finance DINARRECAPS8

Warren Buffett’s 7 Rules for Saving Money on Everyday Expenses Without Sacrificing Comfort

Warren Buffett’s 7 Rules for Saving Money on Everyday Expenses Without Sacrificing Comfort

Jennifer Taylor   Tue, October 14, 2025   GOBankingRates

When it comes to spending, Warren Buffett isn’t your average billionaire. Instead of buying anything he wants, the Berkshire Hathaway CEO still values his dollar.

In fact, his money-saving philosophies are so down-to-earth, the average person could benefit from them. Here’s a look at seven of Buffett’s rules for saving money on everyday expenses, while still getting everything you need.

Warren Buffett’s 7 Rules for Saving Money on Everyday Expenses Without Sacrificing Comfort

Jennifer Taylor   Tue, October 14, 2025   GOBankingRates

When it comes to spending, Warren Buffett isn’t your average billionaire. Instead of buying anything he wants, the Berkshire Hathaway CEO still values his dollar.

In fact, his money-saving philosophies are so down-to-earth, the average person could benefit from them. Here’s a look at seven of Buffett’s rules for saving money on everyday expenses, while still getting everything you need.

Focus on Value

Despite his wealth, Buffett doesn’t care about designer names. For example, instead of buying new cars, he’s been known to purchase slightly damaged vehicles and have them repaired for less than the cost of buying a new vehicle.

You can apply this philosophy to any standard expense by seeking out well-made products with the features you need. This might mean focusing on store-brand products instead of their name-brand counterparts. Regardless, focusing on value ensures you’re stretching your dollar as far as you can in the right direction.

Get Creative

When Buffett’s first child was born, he converted a dresser drawer into a bassinet to save the cost of buying one. This creative mindset can apply to everyday expenses, as well.

For example, if you’re redecorating your living room, you might search for items on local “Buy Nothing” groups and Facebook Marketplace. This can allow you to fill your space for free, or at a low price, instead of paying top-dollar for all new items at a store.

Seek Quality Over Quantity

There’s a difference between buying cheap and scoring a bargain. For example, in his 1989 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, Buffett wrote, “It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.

Keep this in mind when shopping. An item might have the best price, but if it’s low quality, it’s better to pay more for a product that’s actually worth your money.

Clip Coupons

Even Buffett clips coupons. In his and now-ex-wife Melinda’s 2017 annual letter, Bill Gates shared a story about not paying full price when dining with his fellow billionaire friend. “Remember the laugh we had when we traveled together to Hong Kong and decided to get lunch at McDonald’s? You offered to pay, dug into your pocket, and pulled out … coupons!”

 

TO READ MORE:   https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/warren-buffett-7-rules-saving-120237375.html

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Advice, Personal Finance DINARRECAPS8 Advice, Personal Finance DINARRECAPS8

3 Rich Person Habits To Pick Up and 3 Poor Ones To Drop Now

3 Rich Person Habits To Pick Up and 3 Poor Ones To Drop Now

Laura Bogart   Mon, October 13, 2025   GOBankingRates

Growing up, you might’ve watched a certain show called “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” wherein the wealthy elite and celebrities alike shared the ins and outs of their glorious, sometimes decadent lifestyle. The phrase “champagne wishes and caviar dreams” may have imprinted itself on your mind as the way all rich people live.

The truth is many of the most successful and financially secure people around you aren’t flaunting their wealth. They’re quietly embracing smart habits that make growing and managing their money much easier — habits that are actually pretty simple to adopt. Including for you.

3 Rich Person Habits To Pick Up and 3 Poor Ones To Drop Now

Laura Bogart   Mon, October 13, 2025   GOBankingRates

Growing up, you might’ve watched a certain show called “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” wherein the wealthy elite and celebrities alike shared the ins and outs of their glorious, sometimes decadent lifestyle. The phrase “champagne wishes and caviar dreams” may have imprinted itself on your mind as the way all rich people live.

The truth is many of the most successful and financially secure people around you aren’t flaunting their wealth. They’re quietly embracing smart habits that make growing and managing their money much easier — habits that are actually pretty simple to adopt. Including for you.

Picking up some of these common “rich person” habits can help you improve your own financial situation. At the same time, it’s the right time to drop the habits that are keeping you stuck in the muck of your own limited finances.

Rich Person Habit: Regularly Reviewing Your Financial Plan

Wealthy people may seem adept at reading the tea leaves of financial trends, but in reality, they’re just used to consistently reviewing their personal finance plans and ensuring those plans align with their long-term goals. And yes, wealthy people typically have such goals for their money, chiefly oriented around growing it and making sure that they and their loved ones are protected.

They also know when to bring in expert help. Rich individuals often work with trusted financial advisors who can guide them on when they should make changes and when they should stay the course. They’re smart enough to know what they don’t know — and to delegate accordingly.

Rich Person Habit: Outsourcing Time Strategically

Speaking of delegation as a top-tier financial habit, wealthy people also understand that time is money. Rather than spending hours learning tax law or DIY-ing plumbing repairs, they hire experts who know what they’re doing. Not only do they benefit from this expertise, but they’re also able to devote that freed-up time and energy to high-value tasks.

That could mean taking courses to refine their skill sets, attending networking events or simply making space to think strategically about their business or investments. Investing their time wisely empowers them to increase their earning potential and long-term financial security.

Rich Person Habit: Prioritizing Assets Over Just Income

The old stereotype of a rich person working around the clock, all day, every day, doesn’t tell the whole story. While many successful people work hard, they also take steps to make their money work for them. This means they do more than just put their paycheck change in a high-interest savings account each month. They prioritize building up and diversifying assets that generate passive income.

Keep in mind that prioritizing assets leads to understanding the power of compounding interest rates and passive income. By following their example — investing in income-generating assets, diversifying your portfolio and avoiding common pitfalls — you can set yourself on a path to long-term financial success.

Poor Person Habit: Living Paycheck to Paycheck (Even With a High Income)

TO READ MORE:  https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/3-rich-person-habits-pick-181507635.html

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Advice, Personal Finance, Economics DINARRECAPS8 Advice, Personal Finance, Economics DINARRECAPS8

4 Ways To Get Rich Without People Noticing

4 Ways To Get Rich Without People Noticing

John Csiszar  Sat, October 11, 202   GOBankingRates

There are two kinds of rich people in the world. The “visibly wealthy” actively advertise their wealth, blasting social media with their extravagant lifestyles and owning “show-off” possessions, like luxury sports cars, yachts and jewelry. The other type lives relatively frugally, enjoying the occasional extravagance but generally just keeping to themselves.

4 Ways To Get Rich Without People Noticing

John Csiszar  Sat, October 11, 202   GOBankingRates

There are two kinds of rich people in the world. The “visibly wealthy” actively advertise their wealth, blasting social media with their extravagant lifestyles and owning “show-off” possessions, like luxury sports cars, yachts and jewelry. The other type lives relatively frugally, enjoying the occasional extravagance but generally just keeping to themselves.

In some cases, the latter category may have more wealth than the former, as living in the fast lane is one of the easiest ways to lose wealth. Just ask billionaire Warren Buffett, who still lives in the relatively modest Nebraska house he bought in 1958. Certainly, living a modest lifestyle like Buffett can help you get rich without people noticing, but Buffett also made his billions on the back of a stellar investment career.

Invest Early

If you’re looking to become a millionaire, it might be as easy as starting to invest at an early age. Over a multidecade work career, investments have time to benefit from compounding. After a few decades of investing consistently and reinvesting your gains, you might be surprised to see how much you end up with in your nest egg.

Imagine, for example, that you start investing at age 20, targeting retirement at age 65. Investing even $250 per month and earning a relatively modest 7% annual return will grow your account balance to about $948,000, just shy of $1 million, per the Ramsey Solutions investment calculator. If you put all that money into an S&P 500 index fund and earn 10% per year, which is roughly the index’s long-term average, you’d have over $2.6 million.

Let that sink in a bit. Investing just $250 per month over the long run could potentially get you a multimillion-dollar account value by age 65.

Boost Your Investments Along With Your Income

An even better way to become a millionaire even before retirement is to sock away more money into your retirement accounts as you earn more. Far too many Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck in part because whenever their income increases, they also start spending more. It’s an understandable phenomenon, as most people feel they deserve to spend and enjoy the money they work so hard for. But in terms of building real, long-term wealth, it’s a mistake.

Imagine instead if when your income rises from $50,000 per year to $70,000 per year that you invest $15,000 of that increase. That still leaves you with $5,000 more per year to spend on yourself, but it also shores up your long-term wealth-building plan.

Investing that $15,000 per year alone — not even counting the monthly contributions you should already be making — would result in an additional $949,000 in your bank account after just 20 years of earning a 10% annual return. Even investing half of that increase — $7,500 every year — and earning a 7% annual return still translates into an additional $325,000 in your pocket after 20 years.

Build Passive Income Streams

Passive income is a revenue stream that isn’t tied to the hours of work you put in. Rental income and investment income are two common examples. While your job requires that you trade hours of your time for your salary, passive income comes in whether you tend to it or not.

TO READ MORE:  https://finance.yahoo.com/news/4-ways-rich-without-people-231706812.html

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