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Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern The George-Anne Student Media 2-25-2000 The George-Anne Georgia Southern University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/george-anne Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Georgia Southern University, "The George-Anne" (2000). The George-Anne. 1640. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/george-anne/1640 This newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Media at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in The George-Anne by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ■H^MH ^^^^H^^H f a u J i h fi : 0 The Official Student Newspaper of Georgia Southern University ;.-,.•:. er' has it all: drops two to humor, wit and Alabama seriousness Charles Harper Webb gives us Eagles lose both games on poetry that is both poignant and the road 12-4 and 9-3 beautiful. during the week. Page 4 Page 6 Vol. 72 No. 61 Friday, February 25, 2000 Want to m Investors aren't the only ones who on it By Kathy Bourassa Don'tThe product was only available to people who Staff Writer agreed to sell the balls. For a little over a hundred their money. Valentine points out As you sort your mail an envelope catches your dollars, investors received two laundry balls, adver- banks have collapsed in the U.S. attention. There is no return address but the postmark tising pamphlets, and an explanation of the "pay- abroad, leaving customers hold- indicates that it originated from another state. Inside, ment matrix." ing empty moneybags as a you find an intriguing proposition: Make $1,200 a Another technique is the pyramid scheme. It result of complicated scams week by sending in just a few dollars now and promises that if you pay commissions to a few other based on these principals. mailing four postcards. You think about your people (usually four), then recruit additional people Although it may car payment, the rent that's due next willing to do the same, you will take your turn seem as if you're "get- week, how you're really tired of receiving commissions from others. Currently, a ting in early," it isn't your meal plan. Do you take a company called "MBI" is mailing advertise- likely. Unless you ft?** chance? */£*** (j ments of this sort. It claims that by know the origina- The Federal Trade sending $ 15 to four people, those tor of the Commission (FTC) re- individuals get "pro- scheme, your ports that pyramid and o^ moted" up one name probably came Op 4 Ponzi schemes illegally bracket. Since there from a mailing list or was '4>'"W •4 bilk consumers out of mil- are four brackets, they supplied by a pal who invested after lions of dollars yearly. The Internet retire after they've made his name was obtained from a list. (If you do MlK/ provides a means for con artists to reach their wealth and you move know the originator and get involved, you could many people easily and avoid detection. A task up. They claim, "Once you wind up in prison!) con- force of investigators from several agencies found are at position #lyou can re- To protect yourself, follow these guidelines: firm, such •,,, as hav- more than 500 schemes in just three hours surfing ceive up to 78,125 certified letters con- Avoid any investments or business opportunities ing a "special" or , "unique" online. taining $15 each." that are structured on a matrix unless it is a well- relationship with an inter- national Ponzi schemes, named after the originator, are If it sounds unbelievable, it usually is. According known company with quality products that doesn't company. A company called CDI advertised difficult to recognize. They employ methods similar to Debra Valentine of the FTC, programs like this require you to invest up front. (If you're good at great rates, no credit check or income verification, and to multi-level marketing operations that are legiti- must collapse. sales, plenty of companies will pay well without no security deposit for a Visa card because they had a mate, such as Amway or Avon. She said, "The very structure of this matrix dic- asking for your money.) partnership with an overseas bank who supported the Investors are required to purchase products and tates that whenever the collapse occurs, at least 70 Most frauds expect payment in the form of cash program that American banks, "don't want you to know resell them in order to gain a profit. A new distributor percent will be in the bottom level with no means to or money order, but sophisticated money-laundering about.'Tt turned out Visahadno direct relationship with is led to believe it will be easy to sell friends and make a profit." systems can allow operations to appear more re- the company. People who paid the application fees family on the product, and that they will want to join, Another example is a postcard asking for only spectable by accepting credit card payments. Credit never got their credit cards. too. If they do join, he will profit on his recruits' sales one dollar, along with your name, address, and cards often provide limited protection, but it isn't If you think you've been taken, you can file a and the sales of their recruits. phone number. In return, the card suggests, you can automatic, so be careful. complaint with several government agencies- However, close investigation reveals that the make nearly $5,000 weekly. Like most schemes that Spam rhymes with scam. Junk e-mail promotes charged with investigating and prosecuting these product is sold almost exclusively to members, par- rely on regular mail, the address is a post office box these programs to literally millions of would-be programs. The FTC has an online complaint form ticularly newcomers, at highly inflated prices. An instead of a street address. There may not be a investors in a matter of minutes. Delete them without at www.ftc.gov. You can also contact the Georgia example that surfaced three years ago was a plastic licensed business at all. On the other hand, by send- responding. Sending a request to "unsubscribe" Bureau of Investigation (912) 871-1121 for opera- ball containing blue water touted as "the cleaning ing in money, you may have paid to be on a mailing merely confirms that your e-mail account is active tions based here. Notify the postmaster at your I miracle of the century" with a plausible sounding list that will be sold to numerous companies with and invites more emails. local post office if you received the promotion by explanation. similar promises. Beware of ads that make claims that are difficult to mail. Images of ebony on Broadway Twenty percent of aid applicants leave drug question blank TMS Campus tially lose their aid — or run the Students who failed to answer WASHINGTON — If you risk of greater penalties associ- the question have had their finan- skipped that question about drug ated with lying on the form. cial aid held up as the department convictions when you applied for The department's decision has has decided what to do with them. federal financial aid, don't think relieved many college-aid admin- Under the law, approved in 1998, the U.S. Education Department istrators who feared students who students with one conviction of drug failed to notice.Department offi- left the question blank would au- possession risk losing their aid eligi- cials announced Tuesday that they tomatically be presumed guilty. bility for one year; two years for a are taking steps to deal with you Many said they thought applicants second conviction; and indefinitely and more than 100,000 other stu- left the answer blank unintention- for a third conviction. Students caught dents, or about 20 percent of ap- ally. selling drugs lose eligibility for two plicants, who also dodged the Department officials said they years after a first conviction and in- question. decided to cut students slack af- definitely after a second. Eligibility The 2000-01 academic year is ter calling about 1,500 applicants for aid could be restored in less time the first in which students con- who didn't respond to the ques- if the students satisfactorily com- victed of drug offenses are ineli- tion. plete a drug-rehabilitation program, gible for federal aid. Department "Almost all of them said that or if their convictions are reversed or officials said they would let col- they did not answer because they set aside. leges distribute aid to students were confused by the question or Wood said just under 1 per- _wMjlidn!ijnswex_the question simply forgot to answer it," Greg cent of the 590,000 students who on their applications.-But offi- Woods, chief operating officer of have applied for aid for the com- ing academic year have acknowl- Melonee Gibson cials also said the department -4he department's Office of Stu- v- would send notices warning those dent Financial Assistance, told edged being convicted of drug- "IMAGES OF EBONY": was presented Monday evening to pay tribute to the The Chronicle of Higher Educa- related offenses, the same, he many contributions of African Americans to the professional theater. students to inform the department of any convictions — and poten- tion. said, as the national average for m _ the U.S. population. m Black History Month: Chicago college holds key to history of black music By Billy O'Keefe scriptsblanketing an entire spectrumofmusical genres.