Anyone online today probably receives a regular stream of investment scam e-mails. You've seen them: the wife of a Nigerian minister seeking to get millions of U.S. dollars out of the  country, or the Zimbabwean land crisis, offering substantial commission fees for "honest assistance" to help transfer money. And, the ever-popular opportunity to help a foreigner  invest in the "stable economy of your country." You might wonder who responds to these  scams, and the answer is that many do, otherwise they wouldn't continue to exist. In 2003,  the Internet Crime Complaint Center received 124,509 complaints, of which more than 63,000 were related to fraud and represented a loss of US$125.6 million.

Financial investment scams can also be much closer to home. Perhaps you've been asked to invest in a real estate deal by a colleague or friend. It might be presented as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, or simply a personal favor-someone needs your help and, in doing so,  you too will benefit financially. Such opportunities can be legitimate as determined by a thorough investigation of the opportunity. But the risk of responding to personal pleas for  assistance is that when you know or trust someone, you may not be as diligent in your research. Quite simply, your radar for a scam is probably turned off. 

To protect your financial interests, the following tips are provided to help you assess investment opportunities. These tips are provided by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.  With any investment, whether promoted in person, by mail, telephone, or on the Internet, a wise investor should always ask questions, and get  written information. Take notes so you have a record of what you were told, in case you have adispute later.