June 28, 2011

Current Debt Talks Focuses on Taxes

Our government is currently in a debate about what to do with our debt ceiling and how to address of our national debt. I have a solution for our beloved politicians, just raise the debt ceiling and do not waste more time and taxpayers money on this topic. We are dammed if we do and dammed if we don't. The reality is that we are in financial trouble. The good news is that we as a country has managed to get ourselves from worse situations in the past.

The politicians in Washington must stop wasting time in the debt ceiling subject and investing the time in how are we going to resolve our current situation on a long term basis. The raising or not of the debt ceiling is a band-aid on a huge bleeding cut. The band-aid will only contain temporarily the bleeding. Our leaders must put aside their political agendas and pet projects and make decisions for that are the best for the country and its people. So raise the debt ceiling and brew a huge pot of coffee and go back to the "brain-storming" rooms and develop your "strategies on debt reduction".

This country will become the laughing stock if we do not raise the debt ceiling and start failing on our obligations. However, raising the debt ceiling (borrowing) comes at a price; we become indebted to other countries (most likely China). Also, we will see increases in taxes as a method to pay for the increase in debt. Whenever you assume debt beyond your means you enslave yourselves. We should raise the debt ceiling and develop a true plan of action towards the repayment of the debt. This is not the first time this country has raised the debt ceiling in the past; this is the one getting the most media. In recent times we have raised our debt limits in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and twice in 2008, they were considered to be a necessity and so it didn't get a dumpster's worth of panicky coverage we are getting today.

The financial problem we are in today is beyond some tax increases and tax subsidies that our politicians wants to focus as part of their re-election plans. We have an inherent problem with our fiscal policies. You do not have to have a Phd in Economics to see it. You will notice that since we abandoned the gold standard since the early 70s we have experienced an out of control growth in our national debt (see graph). Politicians discard this notion as nonsense since a real gold standard would make the jobs of the Federal Reserve chairman and his "Congressional Questioners", i.e., manipulating the economy and redistributing wealth, much more difficult. When we have a country where the officials of the Federal Reserve can't explain rises and falls in their own measures of the money stock, we have a problem. The current economic problems goes back to several decades ago; the stagflation of the 70s, the failure of S&Ls in the 80s leading to the
the growing problems in the banking industry itself today. I suggest that we take a closer look this time and consider a fiscal reform: gold.

However, while time goes by each of the major parties continue playing their political games of passing the blame to each other. The truth is that the fiscal irresponsibility of politicians of both major parties have caused this train wreck. So grow up, stop blaming, take responsibility and lets work together towards the true solutions that will solve the current situation.

June 26, 2011

Simple Steps to Handle Worry Situations

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident." (Psalm 27: 1, 3)

Why have we become so worrisome? Is it our distance from our Creator? I can see it in the eyes of people as they walk around the streets, malls, and grocery stores. They are infested by the "worry bug". This worry bug does not allow them to properly think nor function. Worries fill their heads with negative thoughts which leads them to stress. Children are naturally stress free, until we damage them. Maybe we can learn from them to live today. To live one day at a time. We need to learn to live stress free, taking one day at a time; one task at a time.

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
- Matthew 6:34

Here are three simple steps that will help you handle worry situations:

1. Analyze the situation fearlessly and honestly and figure out what is the worst that could happen as a result of this failure. This is the first step and the most important; it will help you put the situation into perspective. You must stop wasting time in trying to play all of the "what ifs" and "theories of doom" in your head. You must take a deep breath and think calmly about the situation.

2. Reconcile yourself to accept the consequences. After you have analyzed the situation and determine the reality of the situation, then accept responsibility for your actions.

3. Calmly devote your time and energy to trying to improve upon the worst which you have already accepted mentally.

One of the biggest challenges in trying to resolve worry situations is that worrying destroys your ability to concentrate. I have seen how people invest time and energy in the worries which would drain them and defocus them from their goals. Trying to resolve difficult situations while you are worried is futile. When we worry we lose the power to concentrate; the power of decision. The solution to worries is the acceptance of what has happened. This will provide us the true peace of mind we need to face and overcome the consequences of any misfortune.

"Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand"
- Thomas Carlyle

Many business owners in their search for "business success" fill their lives with worries. Many of them believe that the unnecessary worries are "part of the trade". This is complete false. Business success does not have to come with worries. Worries are cause by fear. Fear of loss, fear that we wont be accepted, etc. Fear is what causes worries. We destroy our bodies and minds with anxiety, frustrations. hatred, resentment, rebellion and fear.

I share with you Psalm 27:1,3 (see at the top) that I like to repeat in difficult moments. Making decisions while we are worried will generally cause the wrong decision. The best option is to stop and relax. If you believe in the power of prayer, like I do, then pray. Seek a moment and place where you can relax, meditate and calm down. After this process, follow the steps above and see the difference.

June 21, 2011

The Explosion of the Mexican Bonds

They go by different names; White doves, blue doves, red doves, you name the doves ... "vintage gold-backed bearer bonds" issued by the Mexican government. What has caused the sensation on the trade in historical debt instruments seems to come from rumors that the "allegedly authentic" certificates are more than mere collectibles because they "supposedly can somehow still be used as securities in sophisticated trading programs". These rumors have been created by a global network of buyers and sellers, brokers and scammers, legitimate collectors and investors, and convicted fraudsters selling nothing more than hope.

The truth is that Historical Gold Bonds are collectors' items. These historic bonds that were issued to fund building projects of different sort, even private corporate enterprises, such as railroads. From the collectors point of view, some are rare and therefore command a relatively high price among them.

Please remember that a bond is a Promissory Note (i.e. Debt), issued by a corporation or government toward the completion of a project. A Bond is a means for that corporation or government to borrow money from the general public in small individual increments. In return for the use of the Bond owner's money, interest is paid on a pre-determined schedule. All bonds have a maturity date. On that maturity date, the Bond owner can cash in the Bond for his original investment amount and any interest due. The bottom-line is that all bonds, regardless of where are they issued they close after a reasonable amount of time. In other words, if you do not cash them in a timely manner they are no longer redeemable.

The only Bonds backed by the United States Government are issued by the U.S. Treasury Department. See the U.S. Treasury Department's Bureau of Public Debt web site for more information relating to Bonds and U.S. Treasuries.

Be alert for scams. Historical Gold Bonds are a "popular commodity" in the UNDERGROUND NETWORK. The most frequently offered are Pre-World War II German Gold Bonds. After that come Railroad Bonds. All are stated as being redeemable, frequently in gold. Specially now with the prices of gold and the uncertainty of many of the currencies people are looking for ways to hedge against currency devaluation. These individuals purchase these bonds as an investment instrument, which they are not any longer.

In the process of the acquisition of these bonds, you are made to jump through an infinite variety of hoops involving bank-to-bank transfers and private meetings. You are offered so-called authentication documents attached to impressive appraisals, often supposedly drafted by attorneys, accountants, bank officers, and dealers. Many times these scams there seldom any Bonds of any kind. If by chance the fraudster does have an old Bonds in his/her possession that actually belong to them, they are only worth the collector's value. If you are collector, you may be interested in them as such as a collectible item. The same way that some people collect baseball and basketball cards. They do have a historical collectors' value and that is all. However, they cannot be redeemed for gold nor expect the issuer government to pay you some "past due interest". They cannot be leased or used for collateral to enter into another scam - the HIGH-YIELD INVESTMENT PROGRAM - and they cannot be used as collateral to purchase a LETTER OF CREDIT or TREASURIES, all of which you may be told by these fraudsters or a middleman. They are no longer a valid financial instrument.

Remember: If it's too good to be true....

June 19, 2011

Should Teenagers Have Credit Cards?

In the process of writing my new book on how to improve our credit scores, I came across of alarming facts that many times is overlooked; teenagers in financial crisis. Not many would think of this since they are just teenagers and just starting their lives. Many of them are in high school or college some do not have a job other than a summer job. So how can they be in financial trouble?

However, the average college student is stuck with about $3,200 in credit card debt before they finish their college life. Today’s college graduates carry a heavy debt burden of $23,000 in student debt along with an average of $4,200 in credit card debt by the time they graduate. Many financial gurus suggest that teenagers should not have credit cards at all. Their argument is that they are not prepared to handle the responsibilities that carrying a credit card entails. Others believe that they should be given credit cards as early as possible, since it is a fact of life.

I think that the solution lies in the middle. I propose financial education. Teenagers should be exposed to the reality of credit cards. Trying to protect them from financial crisis by not talking about the subject and pretend that it does not exist is not the solution. The financial education must start at home and early. We as parents must be the first ones to properly educate our children about finance, budgeting, credit and investing. These are critical tools of survival in our society.

On Father's Day, I invite all father's to make it their task to educate the youth on financial matters. Lets prevent that our children become another number in the teenager financial crisis.

June 18, 2011

Is Canada Good as an Asset Protection Haven?

Last week Kitco Metals, Inc a reputable precious metal dealer from Canada was raided by authorities in Quebec. More than 175 Revenue Quebec Agents (equivalent to the US IRS) conducted raids related to Kitco on homes, offices, accountancy firms and bankruptcy trustees in the Montreal area, and a court-appointed receiver is now controlling the company. Canada has a respectable image internationally with a stable banking system and a currency that is doing well primarily due to Canada’s huge wealth of gold and other natural resources. You may think that Canada could be a great safe haven for our declining dollar. However, thinking of Canada as an investment alternative to the instability in the United States received a big surprise last week. Here are some reasons the Canadian dollar should not be considered as a hedge currency for the US dollar:

1. The Canadian economy is very tied to the US economy,
2. The Canadian Government is intent on devaluing the Canadian dollar alongside the US,
3. The Bank of Canada has virtually no gold for backing the Canadian dollar,
4. All that does back the Canadian dollar is the US dollar and other fiat currencies, and
5. The Canadian dollar is not used globally

The raid against Kitco seems to be focused on the sales tax evasion. When you trade in gold bullion the transaction is exempt from sales taxes, but not gold scraps. It appears that Kitco was buying scrap gold, paying the sales tax to the sellers (local jewelery firms or small gold dealers) then legitimately reclaiming the sales tax paid. Since Kitco was selling bullion, they were not obliged to charge sales tax. Therefore they would have been receiving large tax rebates on a regular basis – something governments obviously hate! In Europe this is called “missing trader fraud” or “carousel fraud”. Keep in mind that Kitco has not been formally charged with anything.

This raid to an internationally recognized firm is a wake up call, since gold traders are not popular people with the governments. The Canadian taxman has learned from the US about high profile, publicity seeking cases where you accuse first, destroy somebody’s business, then later look at the facts. The lesson from this event is to proper planning for your asset protection. Many people think that the best places to store gold is the United States, UK and Canada, but that is not necessarily true. If you have gold to be stored or thinking on trading in gold considered Switzerland. Switzerland is the center of the world gold trade, a bastion of stability, and it is just unthinkable that the Swiss government would do something like the Kitco raid. Another place that is overlooked is Singapore. It isn’t yet able to compete with Switzerland on pricing and volume, but several storage facilities are now offering precious metals storage in the duty free zone at Changi Airport. Hong Kong is another option for your consideration. The bottom-line is proper financial planning.

June 13, 2011

Understanding The Health Insurance Deduction for Self Employed

Many years taxpayers miss potential tax deductions that could save them hundreds of dollars in overpaid taxes. Today I want to bring to you attention one tax deduction that many self-employed entrepreneurs missed this year; the special provision for health insurance deduction of 2010. The Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010, provided a one-year tax provision where self-employed (sole proprietorship, single-member LLC, or sole-owner S-corp), can deduct their health insurance expenses for 2010 against their self-employment tax. This will make a huge difference for self-employed entrepreneurs in lowering their taxes for the 2010 tax year. This provision addresses a fundamental unfairness against the self-employed and the treatment of the health insurance costs; self-employed individuals cannot deduct the full cost of health insurance premiums as a business expense on their payroll taxes, as other business entities can do.

This is a special rule for 2010 only. For 2011 and later years, the health insurance deduction will revert back to being deducted only against the income tax, unless Congress decides to extend this particular tax break.

Here is an example on how this tax provision will affect self-employed this year:

Let's say Sandy, a freelancer, makes $60,000 in net income and pays $6,000 for health insurance. In other tax years, Sandy would pay income tax on $54,000 and self employment tax on $60,000. However, in 2010 Sandy will pay income tax and self employment taxes on $54,000. This provides Sandy a tax saving of $459 in her 2010 income tax return.

Make sure to ask your tax preparer about taking the deduction when you file your tax returns next year. If you have already filed, have your tax return reviewed to determine if the deduction was missed (you may have to file an amended tax return to claim the missed deduction). Here are a couple of caveats:

1. You must buy your own insurance (rather than relying on a spouse's coverage or being uninsured).

2. The deduction phases out above a $106,800 annual income limit.

3. The provision is specifically geared for those who file a 1040 Schedule C business income tax form or a Schedule E earned income tax form.

4. If you are reporting a loss from your self-employed activity, then you are not eligible to deduct your health insurance costs since this particular deduction is limited by your self-employment income. You can however still claim the health insurance expenses as an itemized medical deduction on your Schedule A.

5. The new deduction does not apply to health insurance coverage that you may provide for any employees you have.

For more information on that tax credit is available at the IRS website.

June 11, 2011

Common Myths About Credit Scores and Credit Repair

I am currently working on a new ebook on credit repair. A person's credit score is an integral part of his/her financial life and ignorance about how credit scores work can be devastating. Our credit scores are constantly being used to make an evaluation on us; for example, banks, credit unions, utility firms, landlords, insurers and even employers. What surprised me the most in the research of my ebook is that approximately 50% of Americans don't exactly know how their credit scores are derived, or what factors are used to compute those three vital numbers. This is sad that a country so financially prosperous, so many people do not understand such a critical information such as the 3 digit number credit score.

Today I will share a few of the misconceptions we have about credit scores and credit repairs:

Myth No. 1 - The Major Credit Bureaus Use Different Formulas In Computing A Credit Score

This is one of the most common myths about credit scores. The truth is that the major credit bureaus, from Experian, Equifax to TransUnion all have a different term for the same score. TransUnion for example, calls it the Empirica, while Experian calls it the Experian/Honest Isaac Risk Model. While these major companies have different names for the credit score, they still use the same formula for coming up with it. While the names used by the major credit companies are essentially the same, lenders often use just one credit report, to analyze your loan application.

Myth No. 2 - Credit Can Be Repaired Instantly

This one leads many people into being victims of credit repair scams. Please understand that credit repair works differently for everyone. No one can promise you that your credit score will be X in 30 to 45 days. There are a number of credit repair scams that all offer you instant credit repair; unfortunately, they can cause you a variety of problems and even get you into legal trouble. One of the ways that these scamers use is issuing you a new tax identification number, usually in a manner that is legally reserved for businesses. You may receive a "blank slate" credit-wise, the part they forget to mention is that if you use it instead of your own identification number you can be charged with fraud.

Myth No. 3 - Closing Old Accounts Helps Boost Your Credit Report

This is one that many of the so called "credit repair gurus" love to use. The truth is that closing old accounts won't affect your credit score, but opening these old accounts will surely hurt your score. In many cases it has the opposite effect by removing history from your credit that you will need in improving your credit score. Shutting-off an old account only helps to make your credit report look young and fresh.

Myth No. 4 - To Repair Your Credit Score, Simply Pay-off All Your Debts

This is another one that our so called "experts" charge you for. Since many people do not understand how credit scores work, they think that by simply paying everything you owe will automatically translate into higher score. You should see their faces after their bank accounts are lower and so is their credit scores. Credit score is influenced and determined by your past credit history, and not by your current amount of debt. Your previous history of late or missed payments will still reflect on your score.

Myth No. 5 - You Can't Fix Bad Credit

With all of the advertisement for credit repair services, there are still those who believe that truly bad credit can't be repaired. At times it may seem that way, but any credit can be repaired with time and careful repayment of your debts. As old debts are paid off and newer debts are paid on time, even the worst credit will slowly but surely begin to improve.

Myth No. 6 - Credit repair is too complicated to do myself. I would have to hire an attorney.

In some cases involving a difficult situation, an attorney can be of great assistance. An attorney can also help with clarifying the finer points of your state's laws. However, you can accomplish most if not all of the legal and negotiation-based methods in this report yourself by becoming familiar with your federally given rights and how to enforce them, as well as other creative methods employed credit repair companies, or an attorney.

If you have a bad credit history, it can (and probably will) cost you tens of thousands of dollars more in higher interest payments over the life of a loan. Because you'll be charged much higher rates than you would be with a good credit rating. In almost every case you will be able to improve your credit score. You can easily repair your credit, yourself.

If you choose to do your own credit repair - which is highly recommended - there is one book available that will walk you step by step through the entire credit repair process. But the credit bureaus, credit repair companies and lawyers want to keep this credit repair process a secret. You Can Get Started Today!

==> http://ow.ly/5eRPY

To improve your credit score, you need to do four things: Reduce your debt load, Pay your bills on time, Remove existing errors in your credit report, and apply for credit occasionally.

June 9, 2011

Are Your Beliefs, Helping or Hurting You?

"Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as you can change your beliefs." - Maxwell Maltz

Your set of beliefs about life is the most important step in your process of being truly wealthy and living an abundant life. How and what you think have everything to do with your life right now. Your values, what we think is right or wrong, determine what you consider a priority and how you choose to manage your time and your God given resources. You are free to your thoughts and to decide in what you center your energy and thoughts. However, you also have the responsibility to choose what to believe as truth. We are constantly bombarded with all kinds of stimuli that affect our beliefs.

When you are truly wealthy you focus on positive thoughts. You feel positive feelings, you take positive action, and you enjoy life and all it has to offer. You laugh, you cry, you experience fully in each moment and you are grateful for each moment of your life. Yes the bad and the good. It's part of the experience of life and by not fully experiencing your feelings you are not allowing yourself to fully express and feel in each moment. You are in fact missing out on the greater experience of life.

During these difficult times we all must remember to pray expectantly. God is good and does answer our prayers. We must remember that the answer to our prayers may not look exactly the way we envisioned it. God knows best, what is good for us. Finally, I’m reminded to pray expectantly for God to work miracles because “I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. ~ (Phil. 4:13). Stay focused on God’s road by daily praying for our Creator to order your day, make it clear what HE wants you to do and do that. Then let God do His part and stop trying to take the steering wheel from Him who knows best and is trying to help you.

If you are a Christian, regardless of the denomination, I invite to pour your souls in thanksgiving to God for all of the blessings we have been given. If you are not a Christian, I invite you to do the same. To be grateful for what you have and focus on the positive. I am not here to profess "prosperity gospel". For me being and living a Christian life has provided me a more complete life, fuller, richer and more satisfying life. It has banished my negative thoughts, anxiety, worries and fears. My thinking is more clear and positive which has allowed me to seek better solutions in the midst of these difficult times we are all going through. Think about it, do you think right now me telling you how bad you have it would help you in any way?. Would me bringing to your attention (like you didn't know it already) how bad the economy is, will contribute in any way to the betterment of your or my life.

"Don't spend your precious time asking "Why isn't the world a better place?" It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is "How can I make it better?" To that there is an answer. " ~ Leo Buscaglia

Sometimes we think that action seems to follow feeling, but in reality action and feeling go together. By regulating the action, which is under more direct control of the will, we can indirectly regulate the feeling, which is not. In other words, we cannot instantly change our emotions just by making up our minds to; but we can change our actions. And when we change our actions, we will automatically change our feelings. Therefore, if we have lost the peace that joy brings to our spirit, we ought to get up joyfully, act and speak as if joy is already here.

If you do not believe me, try it. Put a big smile on your face, walk big, take a good breath and sing/hum/whistle a song; you will see the effect. The reason it works is that it is humanly impossible to remain sad/depressed while at the same time you are acting joyfully.

"A man is not hurt so much by what happens, as by his opinions of what happens" - Montaigne

Be constructive, responsible, creative, helpful, relaxed, calm, grateful, loving, joyful, and playful. It may be difficult to hold positive thoughts when we are faced with difficult situations, but the key is remembering this too will pass. Let it go, and move on!

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Philippians 4:8 ESV

I am not talking about being careless or unrealistic about your surroundings. However, what good will it do to dwell over spilt milk? It happened, it is passed, you cannot go back and change it. Resolve to learn from the past mistakes and to avoid those past mistakes again. Can you imagine if we invest 50% of the time we waste complaining about how bad things are in looking for solutions? Can you imagine the new developments and solutions we would develop?

“A positive thinker does not refuse to recognize the negative, he refuses to dwell on it. Positive thinking is a form of thought which habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions. It is possible to look for something to build on; it is possible to expect the best for yourself even when things look bad. And the remarkable fact is that when you seek good you are very likely to find it.” - Norman Vincent Peale

June 1, 2011

How To Avoid "Get Rich Quick" Schemes

It is amazing that today we still have people falling victims of business and other Internet scams. Just in March of 2011 a con artist man who ran a defunct get-rich scheme agreed to settle a court order by paying the Federal Trade Commission $900,000 and surrendering the proceeds from the sale of his house and most of his personal property. Mr. John Stefanchik was found guilty of blatantly false claims that his "wealth building (know as the "Stefanchik Program") program" would teach consumers how to quickly make serious money by buying and selling mortgages. This thief sold consumers the idea that they could earn huge amounts of money in their spare time, upwards of $10,000 every 30 days, if they purchased the Stefanchik program; instead most customers failed to earn a dime. Victims typically paid $5,000 to $8,000 for the worthless program, but only Stefanchik and his cronies got rich.

It is truly incredible that in today's environment this type of scams still happens. The sponsors of these schemes usually profit from selling the opportunity than from the opportunity itself. A get-rich-quick scheme is any project or method that promises a high amount of return for a relatively small investment. These get-rich-quick schemes also promise that these high returns will come with a minimum amount of risk or work. Something that most people seem to forget is that return is a function of risk which would make all the get-rich-quick schemes too good to be true. That should be the first alarm when one of this scams are presented to us. Another point to remember is that these scams have a low percentage of success stories relative to the number of participants. They will blast their websites with testimonials, showing their big checks they have made. However, what is their percentage of success when calculated over the total of participants in the program.

Due to the public scrutiny, most of the illegal programs have to chose underground methods to promote their programs, such as cold calling and spam emails. The reason is that the public scrutiny placed upon the traditional media channels, makes it difficult for illegitimate enterprises to prosper for long periods without being exposed. The illegitimate enterprises tend to use emotional triggers and confidence building to motivate participation. They often place emphasis on the exclusivity of the opportunity to make it more attractive.

Here are a couple of tips you can use to prevent falling victim of scams:

1. Surround yourself with good, wise people who can advice you well and then listen to them.
2. Become aware of your strong desires and their influence over your thinking.
3. Write down your decision and the reasons for it, then put it away for 24 hours and come back to it and check it.
4. Do not give in to impulsiveness.
5. Wait for a decision until your spirit is calm and your mind is clear.
6. Never violate your conscience.
7. Never do something if financial gain is the only reason that you are doing it.
8. When in doubt - don't. Trust your instincts when they tell you to pause and think it over.
9. Avoid manipulative people and high pressure situations.
10. Check the numbers and the fine prints before signing anything.
11. Stay in control, do not let others control your decision making.
12. Know the difference between character and personality and have a healthy distrust of "Charming People".
13. Know the difference between opinions, facts and projections.
14. Carefully look at all aspects of the opportunities - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)
15. Do not let pride and ego fashion your decision.
16. If it seems rash and risky it probably is. Ask Who gains and how?
17. Do not make major decisions without a moment of meditation.
18. Never make a decision when you feel harassed or stressed, tired or hungry.
19. If you have to rationalize the decision and manufacture excuses why you have to do it, then you are probably trying to do something that your better self knows that is dubious or wrong and it is trying to warn you.

I have provided to you 19 tips that will help you prevent potential mistakes in your business decision making. This list is not all inclusive and there are other steps you can take to prevent being a victim of a scam artist. The best thing to do is to take a moment and analyze the opportunity before rushing into a decision. One of the best tools that a scam artist has is to pressure into an immediate decision because they know if they let you go to think the chances are that you will discover their scheme.