Saving money for the future is a rule for many people. It is part of life planning and it gives people a sense of safety. We all want a safe future, a home, a good retirement to be able to travel or at least to live well without financial concerns. Many people prefer to invest their savings rather than just keeping them in a savings account, and it is wise to do it as long as you are well informed of where and how to invest safely. More people around the world are choosing to invest internationally.  These days, for opportunities found online, it’s difficult to tell what is real and what is not.  Being informed is especially important for senior citizens who are the greatest victims of Russian scammers.

Proper information has an important role in our lives and in our investments. Informed decisions are key to good planning. Given this simple fact, the first thing that any individual considering a domestic or foreign investment should ask himself is: Who am I really dealing with? Is this person or company someone I can trust with my money? Beginner investors will find many resources online on how to start investing. But further from learning the basic rules, it is also important to verify.

Private investigators in Moscow have worked on many cases where the signs of fraud were all around, but the victims never saw them because they were too excited about the promised profits or the expected returns!   Be skeptical in investing, take the time to stop and ask yourself if this makes sense and if it is safe.  How much are you willing to lose?  How do you know the company or stock or person you’re dealing with is legitimate and reputable?  Does the company really exist?  Investing is a situation where verifying facts is necessary from the very beginning.  Waiting until you’ve already sent your money is a bad idea.  Never get pressured into doing anything, especially with money.

Having the right information will help you make the best decisions for your future.   Private investigators say these guidelines are especially true when dealing with Russia, given the high risk for fraud and scams in the nation.  Always do what you can to minimize your risk.  These are some of the reasons why a background check, a company verification or due diligence will help you invest safely:

Phony websites and phishing

Fake websites are one of the easiest ways to steal money, and Russians have a lot of experience in this field.  Scammers don´t even need to make an effort on creating a believable story. They will just take the existing information of a company and build a phony website. It is sometimes hard to tell apart a real website from a fake one. So you better ask a professional to check that out for you.

Limited information overseas

There are many great opportunities of investment in countries like Russia or the Ukraine. Anything that has to do with gold or energy like natural gas are a trend, but investors need to be especially cautious about these deals. When you are not close enough or do not have the ability of checking for yourself that the company you are investing in really operates and is safe, the best you can do is get a company verification by a professional.  Stock markets have a history of listing companies that do not operate anymore, or that are completely fake. Don´t trust a company just because it´s listed publicly or has a fancy website. Do not trust a document if you do not really know where it comes from.  Before putting your money in Russia, try hiring local Russian investigators who can verify company operations and who can check with the proper authorities the legitimacy of any documentation.

Investments promoted by friends

Scammers frequently get involved in an online friendship or a romantic relationship with a person just to lure them into investing in a fraudulent business. People first get close to the criminal, and trust this person they don´t even know in person, and when the time is right, the scammer mentions the “opportunity”.  Relationships and investment do not get along. Especially when your interaction with your so-called friend is online only! Consider that most investment scams are also related somehow to online dating and social networking. You will need a full screening of your “friend”.

Promising company startups

Startups can be a great investment, or they could be a total wreck. Many brilliant startups have grown out of nowhere making their initial investors incredibly rich in just a few years.  But other startups, even though they sound like a great idea are nothing but a scam or bad idea. Criminals often use real company information to claim they are the next Silicon Valley super hit, when they are actually Russian scammers conducting an overseas fraudulent operation. Some places are more vulnerable than others. Craigslist and crowdfunding sites have a history with investment scams so be safe.

Contact a professional private investigator today about background checks, due diligence and company verifications to verify if the investment is wise idea, to help better your odds.

C. Wright
© 2014 Russia PI™

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