on the money

Video: Ben Popken Investigates for CNBC's On The Money

Video: Ben Popken Investigates for CNBC's On The Money

By Ben Popken 11.8.08

Here’s the clip from my piece and appearance on CNBC’s On The Money on Friday night. I attended a Robert Allen Institute get rich in real estate seminar, interviewed some attendees, and gave tips on what to watch out for in “money-making opportunity” scams. Here are some red flags to beware:

  • Promises of fast and easy money
  • The person who brings you in gets a cut of your profits, and then you get a cut off new people you bring into the system
  • Requires large upfront fees before you really understand what’s going on

As one interviewee told me, anyone who’s got a killer investing strategy is out there doing it, they’re not giving free seminars about it. Watch the video, inside…

Catch My Robert Allen Piece On On The Money Tonight

Catch My Robert Allen Piece On On The Money Tonight

By Ben Popken 11.7.08

“When is the best time to get out there and make a lot of money? NOW!” says the real-estate investment speaker in a dim ballroom in a hotel just off a New Jersey highway. Body odor musky baby powder and farts mingle and hang in the air. I’m in a dim ballroom that’s been converted into a nexus of financial success. A tall man in his 40’s or beyond, with square shoulder, combed thinning blond hair, lords over the group of about 35 on a Tuesday afternoon. In a condescending tone a practiced manner of over-enunciating every syllable, he’s here to disseminate the secrets of real-estate pros. Working undercover for CNBC’s On The Money, I’m eager to learn…

Ben Popken On On The Money This Friday

Ben Popken On On The Money This Friday

By Ben Popken 11.6.08

Check me out on On The Money tomorrow night. I acted as their on-screen reporter in their piece about the Robert Allen get rich in real estate Institute. Catch it Friday at 9pm eastern on CNBC. Bloggers are reporters and they’re on TV, baby!

On The Money Appearance Delayed

By Ben Popken 10.28.08

Going to have to wait a bit longer to see the Consumerist teaming up with On The Money to look into Robert Allen special. Robert Allen himself has agreed to speak to them on-camera and they want to hold the piece so they can include that material. Maybe we’ll see it next week. Will let you know.

Updated: Ben Popken Rocks On The Money (Delayed)

Updated: Ben Popken Rocks On The Money (Delayed)

By Ben Popken 10.28.08

UPDATE: CNBC is holding my piece tonight because Robert Allen himself has agreed to talk to them on-camera. So maybe we’ll see it next week. Stay tuned.

Meghann Marco On On The Money

Meghann Marco On On The Money

By Ben Popken 10.9.08

Meghann Marco is a phone-guest on CNBC’s On The Money tonight!

On The Money's Budget Calculator Helps Guide Your Monthly Spending

On The Money's Budget Calculator Helps Guide Your Monthly Spending

By consumeristcarey 10.5.08

On The Money’s budget calculator makes it easy to determine how much you should be spending across the seven categories that make up any responsible budget. Regardless of income, tracking and limiting your overall spending is a foolproof strategy for keeping your accounts in the black. Though the percents will vary according to geography and personal situation, On The Money’s calculator gives you a quick glance at concrete spending targets that you can compare against your credit card bills and bank statements. Give it a try and tell us in the comments what other tools you use to control your spending.

By Ben Popken 10.3.08

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I should be on On The Money again tonight, CNBC, 8pm eastern. Turn on, tune in, drop out.

2 Consumerist TV Appearances (On The Money, CBS2)

2 Consumerist TV Appearances (On The Money, CBS2)

By Ben Popken 10.1.08

Web Extra: Rumor Control! [On The Money]

Update: Not On CNBC's "On The Money" Tonight

Update: Not On CNBC's "On The Money" Tonight

By Ben Popken 9.26.08

8pm eastern, I’m going to be on CNBC’s “On The Money” tonight hosted by the fastest-shootin’ personal finance expert in the West and East, Carmen Wong Ulrich. We’ll be fielding questions from consumers wanting to know what money moves to make and I’ll chime in with the Consumerist.com perspective. Should be interesting! Got bumped, but should be back on again sometime soon.

Executive Customer Service Info For 7 Banks

Executive Customer Service Info For 7 Banks

By Ben Popken 9.24.08

I was just on CNBC’s “On The Money” and heard from one homeowner who was frustrated that no one at Washington Mutual would return her calls or letters in her attempts to renegotiate her mortgage. I told her it was time to contact executive customer service and/or launch an EECB. I received a few emails after the show from other homeowners in the same situation, so here is all the executive customer service contact info we have for various banks.

By Ben Popken 9.23.08

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I’m on CNBC’s “On The Money” personal finance show with Carmen Wong Ulrich right now. They’re doing a special where they’re taking viewer calls and questions about what to do with your money in the midst of the market madness. They’re taking calls at 877-753-CNBC, emails at carmen@cnbc.com or use this webform.

WaMu Direct Deposit Customers: Print Your Statements

WaMu Direct Deposit Customers: Print Your Statements

By Ben Popken 9.18.08

For Washington Mutual direct deposit customers, to protect yourself no matter who takes over and how good they are at handling WaMu’s computer systems, Carmen Wong Ulrich, host of CNBC’s personal finance show “On The Money,” wants you to hit Print. When that direct deposit hits your account, she wants you to go to your WaMu online banking account and make a printout of your statement. That way if it somehow gets lost in the shuffle, “go right up to the bank with your paperwork.” It would probably get eventually sorted out anyway, but this way can help expedite things, just in case.