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4

The Menace of Corruption and Bribery: A Global Challenge

Introduction:

Corruption and bribery are pervasive issues that plague societies worldwide, transcending geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries. These unethical practices undermine the fabric of democracy, erode public trust, and hinder sustainable development. This essay explores the multifaceted nature of corruption and bribery, delving into their causes, consequences, and potential solutions.

Understanding Corruption:

Corruption manifests in various forms, including bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and fraud. At its core, corruption involves the abuse of power for personal gain, often at the expense of public welfare. It infiltrates both public and private sectors, posing a severe threat to economic stability and social justice. Corruption hampers the effective functioning of institutions, leading to skewed resource allocation, distorted policies, and compromised public services.

Causes of Corruption:

Unraveling the roots of corruption reveals a complex interplay of factors. Weak institutions, inadequate legal frameworks, and a lack of accountability create fertile ground for corruption to flourish. Socioeconomic disparities, political instability, and cultural norms that tolerate corrupt practices also contribute to the problem. Additionally, the opacity of decision-making processes and a lack of transparency provide cover for corrupt activities to go unchecked.

Consequences of Corruption:

The ramifications of corruption extend far beyond financial losses. Corruption corrodes the moral fabric of society, breeding a culture of dishonesty and distrust. In the economic sphere, it impedes investment, stifles entrepreneurship, and hinders economic growth. Moreover, corruption exacerbates poverty by diverting resources away from essential public services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Bribery as a Subset of Corruption:

Bribery, a subset of corruption, involves the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of something of value with the intention of influencing the action of an official or other person in a position of power. It often takes place in both public and private sectors, facilitating the circumvention of rules and regulations. Bribery compromises fair competition, distorts market dynamics, and undermines the principles of meritocracy.

Global Perspectives on Corruption:

Corruption is not confined to any particular region; it is a global challenge that affects both developed and developing nations. The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries based on perceived levels of corruption. This index highlights that no region is immune to the scourge of corruption, emphasizing the need for coordinated global efforts to combat this menace.

Anti-Corruption Initiatives:

International organizations, governments, and civil society groups have recognized the urgency of addressing corruption. The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) provides a framework for combating corruption globally. Many countries have established anti-corruption agencies, implemented whistleblower protection mechanisms, and strengthened legal frameworks to prosecute corrupt individuals. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives varies, and sustained efforts are required to ensure their success.

Technological Solutions:

Advancements in technology offer promising avenues for combating corruption. Digital platforms and blockchain technology, for instance, can enhance transparency in financial transactions, making it more challenging for corrupt practices to go undetected.

E-governance initiatives and the use of artificial intelligence in public administration can streamline processes, reduce opportunities for corruption, and enhance accountability.

Corporate Responsibility:

Corruption is not solely a public sector issue; it permeates the private sector as well. Businesses must adopt ethical practices and transparent corporate governance to curb corruption.

Implementing robust internal controls, conducting regular audits, and fostering a culture of integrity within organizations are crucial steps in promoting ethical conduct and preventing bribery.

Is It Just A Perception?

Corruption and Bribery go hand in hand especially in business environment.

However it all depends on how one look at it, whether it is corruption and bribery or just a normal business transaction to improve productivity?

I would like to share my experience way back in the 1990s when I was doing one investigative audit on one bank manager.

He gave an explanation of his take on corruption and bribery which I found quite interesting.

Following is his narrative on the issue:

Way back in 1990s in Malaysia, when one started a business, the most important thing was to have a phone land line, back then mobile phone was not popular or hardly in existence.

To apply for a land line, it took about a month for the telecom to install the line.

However, if you could offer some incentive to the telecom staff, say a monetary incentive to speed up the process, he could get the line done within a day or two

So now the question was – was the monetary incentive paid to the telecom staff a bribery, in the case of the giver and whether it was a corruption in the hand of the telecom staff as a receiver?

For a shrew businessman who just wanted to start his business immediately, as far as he was concerned, it was a payment well spent since he got his land line installed within a day and he could start making calls for his business.

Instead of waiting for a month doing nothing and no income, that was a bad business decision.

As far as businessman is concerned, as long as he had what he wanted to get his business going, it did not matter, since he was in business now.

That explanation got me thinking, from the audit point of view, some violation of the integrity of the personnels were there.

But from the business point of view, it was a good move by the businessman to ensure he could start doing business immediately instead of waiting for 30 days before he could get going.

So, it is just a perception, if monetary payment could advance the course of business, was it corruption and/or bribery?

In business world, if we really want to uphold the integrity and dignity of high moral value, then there should not be any entertainment or giving of gift during festive season.

Especially during Chinese New Year, you can see a lot of hampers being delivered to banks office and so on, and there are a lot of business dinner and/or lunch, all of these are the result of business relationship, one of the way to show appreciation of business dealings.

It seems that the definition of corruption and bribery is on a very thin line.

Just look at the recent case in Singapore, if it happened in a country like Malaysia, it would be considered as normal and expected.

So is it a perception or really corruption and bribery?

Educating and Empowering Citizens:

Empowering citizens with knowledge about their rights and the detrimental effects of corruption is essential in the fight against this pervasive issue.

Education campaigns, grassroots movements, and community engagement initiatives can raise awareness and mobilize citizens to demand accountability from their leaders. Informed and active citizenry is a potent force in holding governments and institutions accountable for their actions.

Conclusion:

Corruption and bribery are formidable challenges that require a comprehensive and collaborative approach. Governments, international organizations, businesses, and civil society must work together to strengthen institutions, improve legal frameworks, and foster a culture of transparency and accountability. Embracing technological advancements, promoting corporate responsibility, and empowering citizens are integral components of a multi-pronged strategy to combat corruption and build a more just and equitable society. Only through sustained efforts and a collective commitment can the world hope to eradicate the menace of corruption and bribery.

Are you a woodworker looking to set up your workshop, but your small space and limited funds are getting in the way?

It turns out that even with a small space (as small as 8’X8’ square feet); you can still set-up up a complete, fully functional workshop.

And you don’t have to worry about not having a lot of money; at Ultimate Small Shop.com, expert woodworker Ralph Chapman gives you a complete guide to setting up a small, but complete workshop for under $1,000.


No Space, No Funds No Tools?

Workshop space and tool selection are among the most common problems beginner wood-workers face. Many beginner woodworkers do not know how much funds they need to set up a shop, how much space is enough, how to shop for quality goods even with limited funds, among other things. In a complete guide to building small workshops, Ultimate Small Shop addresses these issues and more.

What’s This All About and Who Is It For?

As a woodworker, you need a shop and a place to keep your lumber and other tools. Setting up a workshop may sound expensive, and many woodworkers think they need a larger space. The truth is, this isn’t always true. With just $1,000 and a space as small as 8’X8’ square feet, you can build a functional workshop.

When I first started, my shop is a small walk in closet in an city apartment - so I completely understand where Ralph is coming from. You just need to know how to maximize your space and select the right tools for the job. Ralph takes you step by  step through the entire process of setting this up.

Ralph's website, UltimateSmallShop is dedicated to showing woodworkers how to build small complete workshops on a budget. The website offers you comprehensive guides covering all the factors that you need to consider in order to set up a proper workshop, from the most basic to the most critical. The site also provides critical insights for tool selection including where to buy them at the lowest cost

So if you are a woodworker wondering: How much money will I need to set up my workshop? Is this space too small for a fully functional workshop? How do I get quality tools, and what’s the bare minimum woodworking tools will I need? What are the most important factors to consider when setting up a woodworking workshop? Then Ultimate Small Shop was created for you.

It is also important to note that while the website was basically meant to help beginners who are setting up shop for the first time, its insights are also very helpful even to more experienced woodworkers who already have a shop.

It contains many tips on workspace optimization, improving efficiency with tool selection and machine placements.

Click here to set up your shop for under $1000

Why You Should Really Check Out Ultimate Small Shop

Setting up a woodworking workshop shouldn’t very difficult, but without knowing how to, what you need to do and what you shouldn’t do, it may end up being more expensive than you thought. For instance, when it comes buying tools, many beginner woodworkers just don’t know what to get. They end up buying poor quality tools or tools they actually don’t need.

And talking about tools, it turns out those online shops (like Amazon, Lowes, Home Depot) that promise “best prices” aren’t the best places to shop for quality woodworking tools at reasonable prices. Ultimate Small Shop gives you a list of the best and most important tools to get and where to buy them from at discounted prices.

What’s more, if you are wondering whether or not that small space will be enough for your workshop, Ralph's guide has complete floor-plans for creating workshop layouts in small spaces.

Learn more about Ultimate Small Shop here

What You Can Expect To Find In The Guide:

The guide will give you insights on 6 modules:

  • Tool Selection

- How to determine exactly which tools you need for your woodworking hobby before you start buying… so you’ll never blow your hard-earned cash on a tool that just ends up sitting in a box unused.

- Hand-tool only shopping list if your budget is under $500 (or if you just want to use hand-tools only)…  and direct links to buy them for the best price. (pg 41)

- Power tool and hand-tool shopping list if your budget is under $1,000…  and direct links to buy them for the best price. (pg 42)

- and more...

  • Space Selection

- All of the possible types of home workshop spaces… and the pros and cons of each

- Get ideas and layouts for all sizes of workshops, from the large to tiny including setting up a woodworking shop in your garage, basement, attics, home spaces, apartment corners

- The one place that is perfect for a small workshop... but from what I’ve seen… very few ever consider it

- and the list goes on

  • Shop Layouts

- How to plan and design your workshop to fit nicely in whatever space you have available… without sacrificing tools and machines you really need.

- Perfect shop layouts for spaces that are 10’ x 10’ and under

- What I call the “doorway trick” … using this technique along with a smart layout can make a small space work like a larger one! (pg 29)

- You’ll get detailed floor plans and space-saving layout recommendations for your workshop. It includes machine placement and dividing your work space effectively for different woodworking tasks

- and many more...

  • Electricity, Lighting and Sound Proofing

- You’ll learn the ins and outs of lighting and electricity for your workshop, including cost and layout

- The cheap circuit type that can power almost anything... without ever risking a blown breaker. (pg 89)

- How to lower all sound that escapes from your workshop by as much as 70% for under $500..

- and the list goes on...

  • Heating, Cooling, Ventilation & Dust

- The $3 trick that ensures you have clean air even without inside-to-outside ventilation (which can make your workspace either hot or cold). This trick might even be healthier than having fans in your windows. (pg 111)

- The EXACT model of shop vac that is the best performer for its price... a great value!

- Why “cheap” heaters are not the way to go if you want to save money. And what to do instead.

- The best types of heaters for shops that are well insulated and those that are not well insulted.

- and many more...

  • Workshop Safety & More

The one type of shop fire that gives you a 50/50 chance of losing your home. Learn about it on pg 121

- Two tricks to avoid tripping over cables.

- 90% of workshop fires can be prevented by doing this one post-work habit which you'll discover on page 91

- The 10 item checklist for shop safety.

- and the list goes on...

If you are looking to build a workshop on a budget but don’t know where to begin, visit ultimatesmallshop.com and find out how you will set up your ultimate small workshop today.

Learn more about Ultimate Small Shop here


TedsWoodworking Plans and Projects

Anyone has been scammed while using WhatsApp?

If you do, then perhaps you may want to take some steps to prevent being scammed again.

A lot of them , we tend to open the links sent by our friends without knowing our friends' WhatsApp accounts have been compromised.

Once we click on the link, we will fall victim to the hackers just like our friends.

So how do we prevent this from happening?

Preventing WhatsApp Scams: A Comprehensive Guide

WhatsApp, with its vast user base spanning across continents, has become a hotspot for scammers aiming to deceive users.

These scams range from phishing attempts to the spread of malicious links.

With the platform being a primary mode of communication for many, it's crucial to understand and implement measures to safeguard oneself.

Here's a comprehensive guide on how to prevent WhatsApp scams.

1. Educate Yourself

Know the Common Scams: Before anything else, educate yourself about the prevalent scams on WhatsApp. Some common ones include:

  • Fake offers and discounts: Scammers often send messages promising unbelievable discounts or freebies to lure users.
  • Phishing messages: These messages mimic official WhatsApp or other platform notifications, asking users to verify account details or click on a link.
  • Chain messages: Messages that claim dire consequences if not forwarded to a certain number of people.

2. Verify the Source

Check the Number: If you receive a message from an unknown number claiming to be from a known contact, always double-check with the person directly through a call or another messaging platform.

Cross-Check Information: Before clicking on any link or responding to any message, verify the information from official sources or trusted websites.

3. Adjust Privacy Settings

Limit Profile Visibility: Adjust your privacy settings to ensure that only your contacts can view your profile picture, status, and last seen. This prevents strangers from gathering information about you.

Two-Step Verification: Enable two-step verification for an added layer of security. This ensures that even if someone has access to your SIM card, they can't easily set up WhatsApp on another device without the two-step code.

4. Avoid Sharing Personal Information

Never Share OTPs: One-time passwords (OTPs) sent to your phone are confidential. Scammers may try to trick you into sharing these under various pretexts.

Always remember, genuine services will never ask for your OTP.

Be Wary of Links: Refrain from clicking on suspicious links, especially those claiming to offer prizes, discounts, or asking for personal information.

5. Update Regularly

Ensure that your WhatsApp application is always updated to the latest version. Developers frequently release security patches and updates to combat new types of scams and vulnerabilities.

6. Secure Your Device

Use Trusted Antivirus: Install a reputable antivirus solution on your smartphone. Regularly scan your device for malware or malicious apps.

Avoid Public Wi-Fi: Public networks can be insecure, making it easier for scammers to intercept data. Whenever possible, use a secure and private internet connection.

7. Trust Your Instincts

If a message or offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Scammers often prey on emotions like excitement or fear. Take a moment to analyze the situation logically before taking any action.

8. Report Suspicious Activity

If you encounter a suspicious message or believe you've been targeted by a scam:

  • Report to WhatsApp: Use the 'Report' feature within the app to notify WhatsApp about the suspicious activity.
  • Inform Contacts: Warn your contacts about the scam to prevent further spread.
  • Contact Authorities: In severe cases involving financial fraud or threats, inform law enforcement agencies.

9. Educate Others

Spread awareness among your friends and family. The more people are informed about the potential threats, the safer the community becomes.

Conclusion

While WhatsApp offers a convenient way to communicate, it's essential to remain vigilant against scams. By following the guidelines mentioned above and staying informed about the latest scam tactics, users can protect themselves and ensure a safer digital experience.

Always remember, your security and privacy are paramount; never compromise them for convenience.

TedsWoodworking Plans and Projects

Facebook is one of the most popular social media.

People like to use Facebook to reach out and get in touch with others.

A lot of people are using Facebook to conduct their businesses and trying to gain as much as traction as possible.

Because of the popularity of Facebook, cybercriminals also use this to prey on their victims.

With so many users of this social media, cybercriminals treat this as their gold mine for them to get their victims.

If the cybercriminals can successfully catch a fraction of the users, it is a golden harvest for them.

What are the common scams in Facebook?

1. Phishing scams.

Phishing scams happen all the times, especially in Email, normally when you receive an email with a link, especially from an unknown sender, the best advice is to delete the email straight away.

The worst that can happen is you go and open the email and click on any link in it.

This may also happen in Facebook feed you are browsing, sometimes some fake Facebook account posted a news feed and you click on the link, that is the end.

You have activated the phishing malware embedded in the link.

The purpose of the phishing scam is to extract the information in your laptop or computer.

Now the cybercriminal is more sophisticated, they may engage you to talk in Facebook Messengers.

Once you are in continuous exchange of messages with them on Messenger, they may send you a link, since you have been in messaging with them, you may lower down your guard and decide to click on the link.

End result? whatever important information you have in your laptop/computer, especially your banking details, login details, credit cards details will be accessed by them.

2. Romance Scams

Romance scams are quite rampant in Facebook nowadays.

It becomes worse when Facebook allows user to open fictitious account, sometimes, you may think the profile of an account is a pretty lady.

Do you really think it is a pretty lady?

In fact, it is a man who is out to scam his victim, especially those who are love sick, or have preferences for females.

They think they can prey on the females, without realizing they are actually the target of the cybercriminals.

When the hook up is done, both parties will get into conversation and the "lady" will try to show she has been having a hard time, and need some help to tie over the predicament she is facing.

I have come across the following modus operandi a few times.

you would have some pretty faces who wanted to add you as friends, so you agreed to add them .

next they would message you via messenger and tell you they were seldom on Facebook and asked for your WhatsApp.

so you added them on WhatsApp, and they started chatting with you on that social media.

after chatting for a few days, the game started, during the first few days, the "lady" would tell you how she was dumped by her friend and now she needed to find her own living by working hard.

then telling you what work she was in and having one assignment, needed to get it done the soonest possible.

another day later, telling you that she encountered a problem and needed to purchase something online but not able to do so.

so she needed your help so that she could complete her work.

The moment she mentioned getting her an Apple Gift Card, that was the red flag telling you this was a scam.

another one which I came across was, she was having a meeting about investment.

She already opened an account but due to the work and company policy, she could not manage that account and needed you to help to administer the account.

3. Lottery Winning Scams

If you opened any Facebook page, you could see a lot of Pages about winning on gambling.

there were so many now on Facebook Pages and if you joined, they would send you a link.

The moment you click on the link, that would be the end of your personal data in your laptop.

4. Job Scams

this is a very common scam in Facebook, someone would post a job vacancy and promising so much in such a short time.

Cyber Criminals are cashing in on the current job market.

since there are quite a lot of people who lost their jobs during the height of pandemic, and every one was desperate to try to get a job so that they could put food on the table for the family.

in desperation, people may just respond to the advertisement for the job and provide the personal details to the scammers.

5. Shopping Scams

Facebook has evolved from one simple casual social networking tools into a large e-commerce tools for businesses to tap on the resources to increase their revenue.

Since every one is jumping into this platform to cash in on its popularity.

Cyber criminals also decided to set up bogus accounts representing certain brands, and using that to phish for information of the unsuspecting customers.

The scammers would post some out of this world offer which raised the impulse of people to buy, the too-good-to-be-true offer would blind the conscience of the people, then this would be the end for people.

6. Fake Friends Request Scams

Facebook does not really check on the identity of a person who opened an account with them, to them, the more accounts being opened, the better it would be, especially those business related accounts or PAGES.

They needed accounts holders to open more PAGES and promote the PAGES, the more account holders spend, the better for them.

Even though the accounts may not be a real account.

most of the time, we could detect that a lot of have pretty ladies as the profiles pictures and most of the times, the faces were the same.

When you accepted the friends request, you would want to look at what they posted.

a lot of them in their posts, you would see a lot of links or websites, and if you click on that, and your antivirus is good enough, it would flag the alert of the potential risks involved.

Conclusion

in my next post, I will be talking about the followings:

1. How to avoid Facebook Scam.

2. What you can do to be more alert.

3. What you can do if you are a victim of the scam.

For the time being, do give me your feedback and share your experience in the comments section below.

waiting for its prey
photo from 4vultures.org

Work From Home

This is a common term used in the last two years or so, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was a preferred working mode to avoid infected with the virus.

When you search for a job opportunity in this time of the year, you will tend to find one preferably can work from home.

Because of this, scammers also know how to cash in on this and try to scam the innocent and genuine job seekers.

During COVID-19 when so many have lost their jobs and trying to find employment, some will become desperate and will grab any job opportunity comes along.

Hence , how do you know the job opportunity is genuine and real job instead of fake job?

Scammers pose as companies, recruitment agents offering you fake jobs claiming you can work from home in this trying time.

How do people usually look for job opprotunities?

  1. using online job portals.
  2. using job postings on human resources recruitment websites.
  3. advertisements of job vacancies in printed media or social medias.
  4. WhatsApp messages of jobs opportunities.

How do you detect the scams in the work from home postings of jobs?

there are some signs and indications if you can see the postings or advertisement of jobs carefully, you can detect the scams or fake jobs.

If you can notice the following clues, you may be able to detect the scams in the job advertisement

  1. The job is too good to be true.
  2. There is little information on the company.
  3. Contact number in the post cannot confirm the legitimacy of the job offer.
  4. There are bad review online about the company.
  5. The employer is too eager to hire.
  6. You have to pay to work.
  7. The employer want to conduct interview only using WhatsApp messaging.
  1. The job is too good to be true.

If the job offer states that you can do it from home and they pay a very good remuneration even though you may not have the necessary qualification or experience for the job.

Job description indicated that the job is very easy but have good pay, you should use your own instinct to determine whether this is a scam or not.

2. There is little information on the company.

Sometimes the company may put its website domain in the job posting and when you check the website, it does not seem like a genuine website of the company.

Some scammers have the effort to display a website of the original company and thinking the job applicants will not detect the different from the genuine company website.

If you apply through the link given , you may fall to the scam of the scammers who may use the phishing malware to infect your device the moment you click on the link.

3. Contact number in the post cannot confirm the legitimacy of the job offer

Some of the job advertisements have the contact numbers, however when you try to contact, either by phone or email, you fail to get the necessary reply.

When you check the website, you will notice the contact is not correct and you are not able to reach the right person or the recruiting person.

4. There are bad review online about the company.

if you are able to read the review online about the company, you may find the reviews of the company are not encouraging, a lot of bad reviews, some people who have been cheated may just state as such in their reviews and warn future applicants to be careful of it.

5. The employer is too eager to hire.

If you apply for the job and within minutes you receive the phone from the company and the person on the other end of the line is so eager to talk to you, this may sound an alarm in your head.

Normally when you apply for a job, especially online application, you may only get a reply after a few days instead of within a day or two.

if the caller said he or she wanted to talk you to find out more about you and so on, this may give you an indication that the job offer is not real.

6. You have to pay to work.

sometimes, you may come across some jobs, once they decide to hire you, however they insist on you making some payment to process some documentation, especially if the job posting is oversea.

The potential employer may want you to remit some money for the processing of the work documentation and relevant papers, this is to ensure you have a valid documents to work in foreign country.

Should not this at the cost of the employer? you may ask, if they insisted that you need to pay and they will reimbursed you later, or once you come on board,

The advice is you should not proceed with this any longer.

7. The employer want to conduct interview only using WhatsApp messaging.

I have come across potential employers insisting on conducting interviews using WhatsApp messaging.

And when i asked why didn't we use WhatsApp video calling for the interview, the recruiters said her device did not have the said function!!!.

You will find the interview can drag on for days and conversations were on and off.

The recruiter who claimed to be the Director in charge of Human Resource would only reply to messages on and off.

she would claim she was busy doing some other things while conducting the messaging interviews.

The interview will go from official and move to some personal matters and she may claim to share your interest and slowly will try to get you to invest in what she is investing.

Normally it is a cryptocurrency trading and the platform she gives you is not that professionally set up at all.

you may read more about that in HERE.

Conclusion

By being careful, you can protect your identity, your finances and your wellbeing.

When a prospective employer is asking you to fill up an online application form, it requires some personal data such as:

  • your bank account number,
  • your date of birth and
  • those of your family members,
  • chances are this is a scam and if you click on the link, you may subject to phishing attack.

Do not give out any personal information other than the basic such as the phone number.

Some scammers are using the legitimate job portals to post fake job openings, if you are selected, do some due diligence on the company.

With the availability of the internet nowadays and the amount of information easily accessible, it is quite easy to do some background check on the companies.

One of the alert signal will be the email domain from the so called HR or hiring personnel, it is very unlikely that the company does not have its own email domain.

It is no harm to be extra careful and pass on the job opportunity if you are not sure, rather than be sorry later after you find you have been scammed.

Brief Explanation

What is telephone scam?

Many people lost their money via telephone scams, some of them even lost their life savings to the scammers.

Scammers prey on the greed and ignorance of the victims, and without knowing the true facts , sometimes out of fear, they decide to remit money to the scammers as ordered.

Scammers will threaten the victim and their main objective is to get your personal particulars and money.

They will try to commit identify theft and get hold of your particulars.

What are the common phone scams?

Phone scams are getting more rampant and frequent.

In this COVID-19 pandemic challenging time, phone scams are even more frequent, most people will use phone to procure their daily needs and so on.

Phone scammer will jump at the opportunity to scam innocent victims.

Common methods used by scammers are:

  1. impersonating they are calling from police station.

Scammers called and claimed they were calling from police headquarter and there was an unsettled summon need to be settled.

and they would ask for particulars and remit money to clear the summon.

2. Callers claimed they were calling from Ministry of Health

With the pandemic going on, scammers impersonating as official from Ministry of Health and asking victim to confirm particulars for the vaccination.

3. Calling from reputed banks

Callers claimed they were calling from a reputed bank and something was wrong with your accounts and they need to verify the particulars.

4. Loan and financing scam

Scammers called and offered some low interest financing and with attractive repayment package, the catch is they required particulars.

What should you do when you received such calls?

  1. Hang up the phone

Normally when some one called from unknown number it would be better just hang up the phone, no need to waste time to entertain the callers.

for example, if you are in Singapore and the caller ID showed +65, you would know it was a scammer call, as local call would not show the country code.

2. Talk nonsense with the callers

every time when i received a call from "MOH" I would ask him who was the Minister of the country, and if the call was from "Police HQ", i would ask who was the Commissioner of Police!!!

every time when the called heard my question, they would cut of the phone calls.

3. Block the numbers.

Scammers may use internet app to make the call, and you need to know your mobile system well and block the calls.

4. Spoofing

sometime called might use the latest technology to disguise the caller ID, so it all depended on the recipient to make his judgement and decided whether the calls were a scam.

however, you may want to check the caller ID at HERE

DON"T DO THE FOLLOWINGS:

  1. When some one asked you to remit money via Western Union or MoneyGram, do not do it.
  2. Callers asked you to give your personal particulars, do not do so.
  3. Do not give remote access to your computer to people.
  4. Make sure you have your password and user ID with you and NOT give it to another person.

Finally report the scam to the REAL POLICE.

This is the creative process that is as old as time itself. It’s been mentioned in every religious text and spoken of by mystics, philosophers and Law of Attraction teachers throughout the ages.

I’m sure you’ve heard of it too.

It’s a simple three step process that many people see as the key to manifesting everything they want.

And of course it is.

But, there’s more to this creative process than meets the eye.

In over 10 years of studying the Law of Attraction and Manifestation, I’ve learned that the way most people are using the creative process is backwards. When you start by asking for what you want you shift your focus away from the truth of this process.

The real key to manifesting everything you want is being ready and willing to receive.

I can hear you saying you’re ready. I thought I was too.

I’d asked and asked. I’d worked hard to expand my mind to believe that it could happen for me. I focused my thoughts on the abundance I knew was coming. I did everything I thought I needed to do to make the Law of Attraction work for me.

Nothing happened.

Well perhaps not nothing, but nothing substantial. Nothing life changing. And certainly nothing that felt like my ‘prayers’ had been answered.

I became disillusioned and felt like giving up. I very nearly did.

But somewhere deep within me, there burned a tiny flame. A spark that told me I was missing something. A spark that told me there was something more …

So I went searching for it.

Have you ever heard the saying, ‘Seek and you will find?’

Well I found the missing piece of the puzzle and it changed everything.

Because I had the creative process backwards.

I’ll let you into a little secret.

The Law of Attraction and Manifestation is all about Energetic Alignment

You could call it vibration or frequency. Not the vibration or frequency of your thoughts but the vibration or frequency of your energy.

How do you know what your energetic alignment is?

You’ll feel it as your core emotional state.

It’s important to understand the difference between your emotional state and your emotions.

You’re emotional state is your ‘all the time’ energetic state.

It’s the way you feel in your body most of the time. The way you feel when there’s nothing particular going on. When you’re just going about your day. When life is just humming along and there’s nothing to spark a specific emotion. You probably won’t even notice how you feel because it’s your ‘normal’.

But your energy is always vibrating.

It’s your life force. And it’s manifesting your life.

Emotion = E-motion. Energy in motion. Or more specifically, your energy in motion.

When you feel an emotion, you’re really feeling your own energy move in response to something or someone else.

The event, circumstance, or person is simply the trigger that sparks your energy into motion. Each time you act or *react from the energy spark you’re feeling, you either reinforce your existing energetic alignment or realign your energy to a new vibration or frequency.

*(re-action = re-enacting a past experience as if it’s happening today)

Your Energetic Alignment is your Energetic State

It’s the vibration of your energetic state that is manifesting your life

Ask, Believe, Receive

Your Energetic Alignment signals what you BELIEVE

What you BELIEVE is what you unconsciously ASK for

And you will always RECEIVE whatever you unconsciously BELIEVE and ASK for

It will happen automatically

It can’t be any other way.

This is the Law of Attraction in action.

Getting ready to RECEIVE is the act of Energy Re-alignment

How do you do that?

Start by becoming aware of your thoughts, emotions and actions.

Instead of pushing away the ‘negative’ thoughts and trying to change them, listen to what they have to say. Your thoughts are literally your energy communicating with you in words. Behind every thought there’s an emotion. And emotion drive action.

Your thoughts and emotions will always match because it’s your energy you’re experiencing. When you pay attention, you can connect with the energetic alignment that is manifesting your life. You can learn what it feels like.

And that knowledge frees you to make a powerful shift in each and every moment.

It frees you to release and replace.

To repair and restore.

To realign and recreate your life anew

Abundance is your birthright

Your wish is my command!

Just sharing a good message from Allanah Hunt

We all want to be loved.
And the opportunity to give love in return.
But what happens when the love you give is misunderstood or the love you receive doesn’t feel like love to you?
We give love to others in the way we wish to receive it but in many cases our desire to make someone else feel loved, backfires.
No matter how hard you work to show your partner how much you care about them, they just don’t feel loved

According to author Gary Chapman, there are 5 core love languages.
Each of us understand one of these languages but may completely misunderstand the other 4.
Learning the different languages and listening for the one that your partner understands can have a huge impact on your relationship.
When you know what someone needs in order to feel loved, you can use words and actions to demonstrate your love in a way that they understand.
Speaking the language of love is a key component in avoiding misunderstandings, resentment and conflict.
When we feel loved, we want to do more for the other person. And so the cycle of love grows and blossoms.
Our most basic emotional need is not to fall in love but to be genuinely loved by another, to know a love that grows out of reason and choice, not instinct.

Which love language do you speak?

And which one does your partner speak?

Words Of Affirmation
One way to show love is to speak in a way that affirms the other person. You can do this by complimenting your partner.
“Your hair looks beautiful today”
“ I love how you look in that suit”
“I love how you make me laugh”
Verbal appreciation is one of the most powerful languages of love there is.
When you pay someone a compliment it lets them know you see them.
That you notice them and appreciate them.

 Quality Time
Just because you live in the same house, doesn’t mean you spend quality time together.
You may sit in front of the television together in the evening but there is a big difference between quantity and quality.

Quality time involves giving your undivided attention to your partner.
Time without distractions and outside of your usual routine. Think back to when you were first dating. You wanted to know everything you could about them; you couldn’t get enough of each other.
But the busyness of life has a way of getting in the way of love.
Or more correctly, the demonstration of love that we each need in order to feel appreciated.
If your partner’s primary love language is quality time, make the effort to go on a date, go for a walk by the beach or through your neighbourhood.
Remove yourselves from the distraction of your routine and take the time to be completely present with each other. There is no surer way to reconnect and reignite your passion.

Receiving Gifts
Love is not about money but for some people, the act of giving is a key component in feeling loved.
Valentines Day may have become overly commercial but the intention behind it is pure.
It’s a chance for you to show your partner how much you love them through the giving and receiving of gifts.

But why wait until Valentines Day?

When you give an unexpected gift, it lets your partner know that you have been thinking about them.
That you know them well enough to find the perfect thing they will love.
If your partner’s face lights up when you give them a gift, then you can be fairly sure this is part of their core love language.

Acts of Service
For some people the greatest demonstration of love is to see you do something you know they will appreciate.
This may be as simple as cooking a meal once a week, or taking care of the kids for a few hours on a Saturday so your partner can have some time to themselves.
Or it could be giving a foot massage, cooking a special meal or simply emptying the dishwasher.
This is not about stereotypes and role definition but about making the time to do something to make your partner’s load a little lighter.
Making the effort to share the load really lets your partner know that you see how hard they work and that you are there for them.

Physical Touch
We have long known that physical touch is a powerful way of demonstrating love for your partner.
Embracing, kissing, holding hands and sex are special acts which you do not share with anyone else.
For some people, physical touch is vital. Without it, they don’t feel loved.
Physical love allows these people to feel secure in their relationship with their partner.
It can be as simple as touching their hand as you walk through the room they are sitting in. Or a hug and a kiss each morning and evening as you leave and return to house.
It doesn’t take much time or thought but can mean so much to your partner.
It is so easy to fall into routine with your partner and forget to show them how much you love and appreciate them.
But for a relationship to survive, both people must feel loved, seen, appreciated and secure.
Without this, arguments and resentments can arise creating friction that runs like an undercurrent through your relationship.
And when someone doesn’t feel secure and important to their partner, they may look for that feeling somewhere else.
Knowing your love language and discovering the love language your partner speaks, is a powerful way to transform your relationship and reignite those feelings of love that you are looking for.


Work From Home, a phrase which normally associated with people who use internet to earn some passive income and achieve financial freedom.

Before COVID-19 Strike

Well, that was before 2020, that was before the COVID-19 pandemic created a big mind set change in people conduct their business.

Last time when you told people that you worked from home, the impression given to people was:

  • you were not having a normal job,
  • you were using internet to earn a living, or commonly known as Internet Entrepreneur.

After COVID-19 Strike

Covid-19, a pandemic which forced a lot of businesses to close their office premises or operating outlets, since one of the effective method to contain the spread of this was to curtail the movement of human.

To do that, one of the effective way was to ensure the business outlets close their offices and business outlets.

Staffs need to work from their home so as to reduce the risk of getting infected while commuting to their work place.

With the advancement of technology, office staffs can actually use  internet to do their work, after all when they are in the offices, they are also using internet to access the required information or communicate with fellow workers.

In view of this, with most of the work done online, as long as you have internet connection at home, you will be able to carry out your work from home.

Why work from home?

Work from home reduce the human interaction and thus reduce the transmission of the pandemic through close contact.

Governments encouraged people to work from home, so that the public transports and the malls would have fewer people mingling around.

The New Normal post COVID-19

Therefore, nowadays with the new normal, Work From Home is no longer the privilege of those who earn their living having their businesses online and transacted through internet.

Now if you ask a person whether he works from home, next you need to know

  • whether he is working for himself or
  • he is just another office worker who has to work from home

So for those businesses whose staffs have to work from home, or can work from home.

What are the advantages and disadvantages you can derive from working from home?

Photo by Andrea Davis from Pexels

Pros of working from home.

1. Safer for the staffs who have to work from home.

They do not need to join in the rush to commute to office,  and get infected accidentally due to close contact with people who may be the carrier of the virus, or who does not know he is sick.

2. Businesses still can continue to operate.

Staffs are still doing their work even though they are not physically in the office to work.

3. Companies need less big office space.

By having staffs to work from home, companies suddenly find out -  they do not really need such a big office space to accommodate the staffs, hence, they can reduce their rental on office spaces.

4. Companies' save on utilities bills.

With most of the staffs work from office, electricity consumption will be less since they will not need to have all the air conditions on.

5. Savings on Office supplies.

Since staffs are working from home, those companies which provide beverages and so on will save quite a lot on this.

Con of workings from home.

1. Less interaction among the staffs, may mean the rapport among the staffs may not be that good.

2. Messages and instructions from the bosses may not be conveyed promptly and clearly, any further clarification may not be possible.

3. Productivity of the staffs may not be as effective as in office due to some distraction at home, some females staffs may need to attend to house chores or issues at home or family matters such as kids' matters.

4. Meeting conducted over video conferencing may not be as effective as the physical in person meeting where ideas can be shared freely.

5. For some staffs, this may create some weight issues since less walking or movement and too comfortable for them at home.

6. For some building owners, this can be a not welcome news and development for them, since their tenants may decide to cut down their office rental space once the current tenancy is over.

There are a lot of service office facilities offering full services to cater for those who only need a room office instead of a big office space.

7. It can be bad news for staffs who are sick or medically not well, the boss may say after all you are working from home, while in between your rest, you can do some work!!!

What are the challenges we face working from home during COVID-19 pandemic?

1. Balancing between working life and family life

When both are working from home, we can face the following situation:

  • different working style or business,
  • with different works or video meeting to attend to,
  • attend to the needs of the kids at home.

This is quite a challenge for both husband and wife to work out.

2. Do you create a work environment at home?

This is something a lot of people working from home has to deal with.

If they do create a similar working environment, then:

  • they may have to face it 24 hours a day,
  • instead of just 8 hours as working in the office.

Then how to have normal family home life?

Without looking at the work?

and have your rest to recharge your energy?

3. Being cut off from co-workers

The link and cordial relationship and rapport with co-workers is not there.

If you need to talk to your co-worker:

  • either to discuss on work issue or
  • just to catch up for latest in life or whatever,
  • you can only hear the voice or via video conference.
4. Do you dress up while working from home.

A lot of people tend to dress casually at home even work from home.

If there is a need to have video conferencing, then dress up a bit.

Sometime the worker may have no choice,

Why?

The boss wants to have a video call!!!

The staff will have no choice but to dress up properly.

Can every business work from home?

There are some who can work from home, there are some businesses which require the staff to work on site.

Whether work from home is good or not,  and whether the quality of work is up to the standard or not, depends on one's own judgment.

For those who like to have colleague surrounding them, and who like instant answers and replies, work from home is definitely not his cup of tea.

At the end of the day, balancing between working life and family life in the same place for 24 hours a day, that is a big challenge and shift in mind set.

Financial Planning and its key components

What is Financial Planning?

Financial Planning is a process whereby one tries to determine his financial status, and set a financial goal and means to achieve the goal set.

As one old saying usually quoted – "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

To put it simply, without a proper financial plan, a person will not know his financial needs and wants now and the near future.

Overall, we will be more focus in our daily financial requirement and will have the meaning goal to strive for if we have good financial plan.

Why do we need a financial plan?

To organize and plan our financial requirement in a more orderly and structured manner, ultimately we need financial plan.

By having good financing planning, we can work out our objectives, policies, procedures, program and budget our financial activities,  at the same time to ensure we have an effective and adequate financial measures.

The importance can be outlined as-

  1. It enables us to have adequate funds.
  2. We have a balanced inflow and outflow of funds and as a result have a stable cash flow.
  3. Helps us in ensuring we have growth of funds and in the long run we can have better survival in any financial crisis.
  4. It ensures that the surplus of funds are easily invested in instruments which generate good returns.
  5. Eliminates any uncertainties with regard to changing market trends which can be faced easily through enough funds.
  6. Reduce the uncertainties which can be a hindrance to any ventures we want to embark in.
  7. Financial planning plays an important role in our daily life and we need to pay serious attention to it.
  8. Financial planning will help us in a long run, especially in time of crisis.

What are the main components of Financial Planning?

  1. Debt management
  2. Risk management
  3. Investment planning
  4. Tax planning
  5. Retirement planning
  6. Estate planning

All things considered,  if we follow the above six points to work out our financial planning, generally speaking, we do not even need to consult financial planner to devise a plan for us.

Benefits of Good Financial Planning

  1. We can become more discipline, set our priority and work diligently towards the goals we set.
  2. A good financial planning especially in this COVID-19 pandemic time can help to give protection to us for unexpected illness and loss of income.
  3. We can enjoy financial freedom when we retired and do not have to worry about money.

Conclusion

In short, we only live once, so we need to make full use of our live now and enjoy ourselves by having a good financial plan.

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