How to Smell a Rat: The Five Signs of Financial Fraud

If you plan on hiring an investment adviser - READ THIS BOOK FIRST!

Great book. Very useful, easy to read, actually funny in parts.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Very relevant

Picked this up at an airport and it kept me engrossed through my flight. With all the news about Madoff, it's easy to worry about who is and who might be the next Ponzi guy. But this book makes it very easy to do the right kind of due diligence. I also appreciated the historic examples and anecdotes. Who knew Joe Kennedy was such a chicken thief? Apparently FDR!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Take this book with you when interviewing advisors

This book was excellent, to the point, and will be invaluable to me. I am taking it with me next Thursday when I am having a meeting with a possible money manager. I'm opening it a page 36 and asking those questions and checking his answers. Thanks to this book I will not be scammed.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Savvy guide to avoiding con artists

The unlamented year of 2008 was a terrible time for investors. The news that money wizard Bernie Madoff stole some $65 billion from his investment clients with a giant pyramid scheme added insult to injury. Though already in his 70s, Madoff received a 150-year prison sentence for his thievery. Many felt the punishment was too light. The world is full of crooks and charlatans like Madoff. Fortunately for investors, they often give themselves away if you know how to spot them. In this savvy manual, business journalist Ken Fisher (writing with investment expert Lara Hoffmans) details five warning signs that can reveal crooks posing as financial advisers. getAbstract recommends this book to investors who are suspicious and to those who ought to be.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

No Fear of Scams

Picked this up just because the title seemed intriguing. Glad I did. I've retained some very valuable lessons on avoiding those situtaions that have the potential to end up like another Madoff. Besides the useful tips it was a snappy read, enjoyable and even funny. Glad I read it, and I recommend it highly.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Valuable advice

If this book were required reading in high school or college, loads of scamsters would be out of business. It is easy to follow and tells you exactly what you need to know to avoid most frauds.

An excellent read.

A good read for those who want to know how to avoid being wrong.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.