A new financial year brings new financial scams. What should your generation watch out for?

Oh, stupidity and greed! I beseech thee to explain! Why art thou power so strong in so many, particularly when combined in the same recipe?

Like ducks to water are scamsters to money. They prey on the weak, the dopey, the innocent and the trusting. We have no more chance of ridding the world of them as porker Snowball had of making life perfect for the barnyard’s cacophony in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Damn that Napoleon.

How do we avoid scammers?

Simple. Understand money’s simple rules. Follow them. Or see a professional, licensed, adviser, if your time is limited and precious.

Great wealth cannot be made in short periods – unless you are the one who has the brilliant, marketable, idea. Making money takes time. And it involves taking risk. The key is the balance between time and risk.

Soooo … if someone calls you on the dog’n’bone and offers you a special opportunity to purchase some magical shares that will triple in value …

If they are guaranteed, why tell you about it? If you knew of such a thing, would you tell me about it?

And those emails that promise a large cut of a squillion dollar inheritance for someone you’ve never heard of … you’re being served baloney. You will fork over thousands in set-up fees. And just after you’ve handed that over, you’ll never hear from them again.

Making money takes time. It’s a simple recipe to follow. Save, invest, sweat a little, invest some more, wait, panic some, invest a little more, wait. Rinse. Repeat.

If you’re not being served that recipe, be suspicious.

Bruce Brammall is the principal adviser with Castellan Financial Consulting (www.castellanfinancial.com.au) and author of Debt Man Walking.