A Wells Fargo financial professional recently helped to save a client from losing money in a scam targeting senior citizens. The 78-year old client thought that he won an overseas lottery. Instead, he became a victim of financial elder abuse via a typical lottery scam. The Wells Fargo professional prevented money from being sent offshore, however money from another bank was sent out. San Francisco financial elder abuse attorneys warn senior citizens that lottery scams are abundant. California elder abuse attorneys warn the public not to fall for lottery scams.

In this case, the senior citizen victim was contacted by unknown individuals claiming to be from the Costa Rican lottery. They told the senior citizen that he had won the lottery and that he could collect a $5 million payout. Then they told the senior citizen victim that there were some formalities and that they would need some personal information to verify his identity. Additionally, they told him that he needed to send money to pay off various taxes and fees associated with the money he had won. The senior citizen victim then went to one of his banks and transferred $88,000 to an offshore account. California financial elder abuse attorneys warn seniors not to transfer money overseas. San Francisco financial elder abuse attorneys say that sending money to offshore accounts is a very risky proposition.

Next, the senior citizen victim went to his Wells Fargo Bank and attempted to set up another transfer of $50,000 to an offshore account. This time the senior citizen got lucky. The Wells Fargo financial professional knew immediately that something was wrong and refused to go forward with the transfer. Since the senior citizen client was convinced that he was one transfer away from getting $5 million, there was an unpleasant exchange between the financial professional and the senior citizen. At that point, the financial advisor contacted the family of the senior and they helped convince him that it was a scam. The financial advisor helped prevent further financial elder abuse by refusing to transfer the money. San Francisco financial elder abuse attorneys say that financial professionals can play a role in the battle against financial elder abuse.

Evans Law Firm, Inc. handles elder abuse, financial elder abuse, physical elder abuse, annuity fraud, consumer fraud class actions, insurance and banking fraud cases. If you think that you have witnessed or are the victim of elder abuse, or financial fraud then contact Evans Law Firm, Inc. at 415-441-8669 for a free and confidential consultation, or email us at

Investment club is formed by a group of people who pool their money for joint investments. If you are a new to investing in stock market and have limited funds, starting an investment club is a great way to learn from other investors and get hands on experience in investing.

Here are some tips to starting an investment club.

1. Make sure all members understand the risks of investing. Many people who invest think they are going to be very successful, and are not prepared to lose all of their money. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees when it comes to the stock market. No one should invest money they are not willing to lose.

2. Find the right people who share the same investment objectives and goals. It is easier to get along with right minded people and learn from each other.

3. Make sure all club members agree to the partnership agreement and any other rules.

4. Join the National Association of Investors Corporation (NAIC) that provides support, information and tools on starting an investment club and investing, and publishes a monthly investor-learning magazine.

5. All members must agree to make a monthly contribution. The typical range of contribution is $20 to $100 a month. Members who contribute more than the required contribution are allowed greater share of profits.

6. Decide on how to meet and the frequency of meetings. For the initial setting up of the club, it may be best for everyone to meet in person. If all meetings are held online, it may be good to meet in person once or twice a year for social interaction. To keep up to date, it is recommended to meet 1-2 times a month.

7. Start with a small number of people. It is easier to come to an agreement when there are fewer members. When the club is established and all formal procedures are in place, new members can be invited to join.

8. Education is the main goal of an investment club. An investment club made up of educated investors will be more successful and cohesive than an investment club which is solely focused on making a profit.

9. Every investment club must have a well-defined investment style or investment philosophy. There must be clear selection criteria such as what type of stocks to invest, the acceptable risk tolerance level and rate of return. All club members should be aware of and agree to the investment style of the club.

Starting and running an investment club is an invaluable learning experience, where you can leverage on the expertise and knowledge of other investors. Investment clubs facilitate the exchange of ideas and collective decisions that are likely to produce sustainable returns.