Scott Alan McDonald is not a lucky man. If he had been, he wouldn’t have lost $181,500 gambling – money that he was given by friends and co-workers – money he was supposed to invest for them.

Despite winning $47,000 on the TV game show Wheel of Fortune, McDonald is still not a lucky man. First, the winnings will only come to about $26,000 after taxes; and second, the Denver, CO DA’s office is looking for a way to seize the winnings to repay his victims. According to his sentence, he has 12 years to repay the debt.

It makes sense here to state that if you want to invest, then dealing with a reputable broker is probably a better way to go than with a co-worker or friend. On the Wheel of Fortune, you could end up at BANKRUPT.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a new Facts for Consumers publication entitled Selling Your Home? Tips for Selecting a Real Estate Professional.

The new publication is designed to help consumers who are planning to sell their home. It offers information such as: the differences between agents and brokers; tips and questions you should ask when choosing a real estate broker; pros and cons of selling your own home without the services of a broker and the different types of real estate contracts.

You can view the publication at the FTC website.