I love scams, and sometimes, when I get a really good one, something with a little originality to it, something that shows a little effort, I want to share it. Here is an email message that America’s Best magazine editor Lynn Celmer forwarded to me that supposedly comes from FedEx (emphasis mine):
Dear Customer !!!
We have been waiting for you to contact us for your Confirmed Package that is registered with us for shipping to your residential location. We thought that the sender gave you our contact details and that you would have contacted us by now. we would also let you know that a letter is also attached to your package. However, we cannot quote its content to you via E-mail for privacy reasons. We understand that the content of your package itself is a Bank Draft worth $800,000.00 USD, in FedEx we do not ship money in CASH or in CHEQUES but in Bank Drafts only. The package is registered with us for mailing by your colleague, and your col...
By Charles M Cooper · July 01 2009
small business, email, scams, spam
Tips from June 30, 2009 The Small Business tips today will be about taking a step back and readjusting how you manage your business.
If things are slow, change your look and feel about your business. Keep your business updated with current times and trends to catch potential customers' eyes.
Ask for feedback from customers about what can be done to update your business. Loyal customers can give a great response as they are dedicated to your business.
Recalculate your budget. Some of the money you thought was a good idea to spend in one area may be better in another. If needed, write up a modified budget and think about how you can save.
Keep track of your office supplies. Take inventory and cut back on your overstocked supplies and focus your money on purchasing the essential ones. ABC members have discounts on thousands of products at Staples. Go to
By Cheryl Sowa · June 30 2009
small business tips, small business, budget, change
Government, Politics and the Economy
Pitching in for Main Street: A Short-Term Fix or Long-Term Prosperity?
The economic downturn has prompted many consumers and neighborhood groups to actively support small businesses in their local communities, as residents pitch in to try to avoid boarded-up shops on Main Street. Still, it remains unclear whether buy-local campaigns provide just a short-term boost or a lasting impact on revenues. WSJ.com
Dumbest Moments in Business 2009
The first six months of 2009 has, so far, been filled with business and economic decisions that have left us all scratching our heads. From this embarass...
By Charles M Cooper · June 30 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from June 29, 2009 The Small Business tips today will be about ways to safeguard your finances to save money.
Keep track of every purchase by saving receipts from transactions. Find an effective way to record purchases, whether a computer program or check book. Validate purchases by keeping up with bank statements and your purchases. ABC members have a discounted program, Shoeboxed.com, for record keeping. Try http://bit.ly/7Qb58.
Back up your computer! A virus, crash, or even a simple computer malfunction can erase data and records. If you have a computer program for your finances, back that up as well. Losing this information could cost your business hundreds of dollars and many hours of recovery. Save your information on an external hard drive to ensure safety.
Check, recheck, and check again on your bank statements. Although unl...
By Cheryl Sowa · June 29 2009
small business tips, small business, bank, computer
Government, Politics and the Economy
Climate Bill Helps Utilities, Factories and Farms More Than Oil Companies
While the global warming bill passed by the US House sets up a cap-and-trade market for greenhouse gases, it also cushions the cost for power producers, manufacturers and farmers and limits aid to oil companies. Bloomberg.com
Obama: Hints at Amnesty for Illegal Aliens
President Obama shied away from any hot-button words in remarks last week on immigration reform, but he did hint at some kind of “amnesty” or “legal path” for illegal immigrants already in the US. BizJournals.com
Manage...
By Charles M Cooper · June 29 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from June 27, 2009 The Small Business tips today will be about background checks for new employees.
One of the most important reasons to conduct a background check on a potential future employee is to eliminate those who lied on their resume. With the economy struggling and people desperate to find jobs, it is important to hire those who are truthful and have the proper credentials.
Before diving into potential employees’ personal records and history, be sure to look into what constitutes as a legal background check and which does not. Being safe and preparing yourself is essential to avoid court and legal problems.
Conducting a background check ensures that your employees will retain a sense of safety at the workplace. Employees will be less stressed about the possibility of incidents at the workplace.
It is very important for small businesses to conduct background checks to save money by hiring th...
By Cheryl Sowa · June 28 2009
small business tips, resume, new employees, legal
Tips from June 26, 2009 The Small Business tips today will be how to establish workplace safety.
Keep a stocked first aid kit at your workplace in case of a medical emergency. Keep emergency numbers for the police, fire department, hospital, and poison control center in an area where all employees can reach them, such as the break room.
Educate employees about safety during a fire, tornado, or lock down emergency. Have practice drills every few months and post evacuation and safety information in the workplace.
Keep your business sanitary, including the supply and break rooms. Restrooms need to be kept up to code and sanitized on an hourly basis.
OSHA On-Site Consultation is offered to small and medium sized businesses for free, although priority is given to working environments which are likely for hazards. OSHA consultants educate employers about the safety hazards that are present in their workplace.
By Cheryl Sowa · June 26 2009
small business tips, osha, safety, workplace
There is a last minute push going on around the country to get to as many fence-sitters on the climate change issue as possible to vote NO on the final ballot. Why is this? After all, the legislation is just to put a cap on the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses that we pump into the atmosphere each day; we need it to fight global warming. The UN says so, and there is that consensus in the scientific community, and that guy from NASA has been going on about this for years! Al Gore made that movie! If anyone knows about climate and planetary atmospheres, it’s the folks a NASA and Al Gore. Right?
Not so fast. There are a number of reasons why this bill is getting the opposition it is, but it all comes down to two things: Bad science, worse economics.
He Blinded Us with (Bad) Science
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal introduced us to a legislator named Ste...
By Charles M Cooper · June 26 2009
small business, taxes, cap and trade, climate bill
