The most important consideration in choosing a wealth seminar is to ensure that the expert is reputable. Wealth seminars are, unfortunately, a common vehicle for scam artists to lure people into paying for products that either do not deliver or do not exist. There are, however, a few wealth seminars that feature reputable experts in the field of wealth management. Sometimes, financial advisers or investment companies will offer seminars to increase their customer base. If approached with caution, these types of seminars can provide useful wealth-building information to consumers.
Before choosing a wealth seminar, it’s important to research the background of the experts thoroughly. It can be useful to check with organizations that monitor business reliability to determine if any complaints have been filed against the organization sponsoring the seminar. If there have been complaints, any resolution should be on file. The company’s president and officers should also be researched thoroughly.
It can be useful to research the background of the experts speaking at the seminar to determine educational background, certifications, and publications. An online search can uncover any lawsuits filed against the individual speaker or whether the individual has been convicted of any felonies. A reputable wealth seminar will offer information, not expensive products or investment opportunities.
Attendees at some seminars are pressured into purchasing real estate or making large investments. Disreputable companies may insist that if attendees do not make an immediate decision, the opportunity will be lost forever. Attendees may also be pressured into signing up for expensive services that give members constant access to other experts in the field who can provide them with so-called inside information. Many who sign up for these services find out that these experts do not respond to phone calls or emails.
Some common tools dishonest companies use to lure people into attending wealth seminars are to associate with a charity, either a real organization or a false charity, with an authentic-sounding name. They may try to impress with signs of wealth, like filming infomercials from tropical locations or claiming to own expensive cars or large homes. Some organizations claim to know a secret method for making money that no one else knows about. Frequently, wealth seminars feature false testimonials from paid actors who claim to have made a lot of money using an expert’s methods.
To protect against these methods, wealth seminar attendees should never feel pressured to make purchases or investments at a seminar, except for books or other media that offer information. These programs should be free or low-cost. Be cautious of seminars that require large up-front fees for attendance.