Today’s featured ebook download is Causes and Effects of the Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy (123 KB, 26 pg) – I argue that the demise of Lehman Brothers is the result of its very aggressive leverage policy in the context of a major financial crisis. The roots of this crisis have to be found in bad regulation, lack of transparency, and market complacency brought about
by several years of positive returns. Lehman’s bankruptcy lead to a reassessment of the risk, in particular in the market for credit default swaps.

What you can learn from this ebook

The demise of Lehman Brothers can only be understood within the context of the current financial crisis, the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. The roots of this crisis have to be found in bad regulation, lack of transparency, and market complacency brought about by several years of positive returns. I will start by explaining these three roots and then I will discuss how Lehman contributed to its own demise and what the consequences of its filing for bankruptcy are.

Today’s featured ebook download is Phishing and Pharming: Helping Consumers Avoid Internet Fraud (387 KB, 8 pg) – The increase in online transactions has been accompanied by an increase in online identity theft. Fraudulent access to personal information over the Internet is increasingly prevalent and sophisticated. Two forms of identity theft are at the forefront of this Internet piracy: phishing and pharming.

What you can learn from this ebook

Gone are the days when we had to step outside to purchase our groceries, book flights and vacations, rent or purchase cars, or just transfer money between bank accounts. Today, we can simply grab our checkbooks, debit cards or credit cards, sit down at a computer in the comfort and safety of our home, and complete these transactions with passwords and PIN numbers. Thanks to advances in technology, the types of transactions we can now complete online are virtually endless.

Unfortunately, the increase in online transactions has been accompanied by an increase in online identity theft. Fraudulent access to personal information over the Internet is increasingly prevalent and sophisticated. Two forms of identity theft are at the forefront of this Internet piracy: PHISHING and PHARMING.

Today’s featured ebook download is Privacy Choices for Your Personal Financial Information (77 KB, 6 pg) – A small booklet that explains your right to opt out of sharing some of your personal information and lists the types of information that financial companies can share about you. An interesting read for anyone wanting to know more on the subject of privacy.

What you can learn from this ebook

You’ve probably been receiving privacy notices from banks and other financial companies. These notices
explain:

• What personal financial information the company collects

• Whether the company intends to share your personal financial information with other companies

• What you can do, if the company intends to share your personal financial information, to limit some of that sharing

• How the company protects your personal financial information.

Financial companies share information for many reasons: to offer you more services, to introduce new products, and to profit from the information they have about you. If you like to know about other products and services, you may want your financial company to share your personal financial information; in this case, you don’t need to respond to the privacy notice. If you prefer to limit the promotions you receive or do not want marketers and others to have your personal financial information, you must take some important steps.

First, it is important to read these privacy notices. They explain how the company handles and shares your personal financial information. Keep in mind that not all privacy notices are the same. This guide tells you about the other steps you can take to help protect the privacy of your personal financial information.