A particularly nasty hoax has been spreading itself around the internet via spam messages to countless E-Gold account holders. The message claims that E-Gold founder Douglas Jackson was shot and killed by a police deputy on Friday evening. Here’s one of the emails that C4G Forum members have received :

E-gold founder, Douglas Jackson, 51, of Sheridan, Mont., was 4 times shot and killed Friday night on the Seventh Street ramp at East Seventh Avenue by off-duty County Deputy Daniel Montana Jr., police said. A spokesman for the Jackson’s family told Fox 31 that the autopsy details show the shots came from 3 to 7 feet away and were fired at a level angle, not from someone lying on the ground. The investigation is ongoing, said DA spokeswoman Pam Russell. More details at hyipops.com

This spam email is completely unfounded and the sources (hyipops.com or tellhyip.com in other spam emails) have zero credibility. There is no truth at all to this spam hoax and the people who have launched it should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Although many E-Gold account holders are aware that Jackson is not from Montana, evidently there are many who are oblivious to details. If you receive this hoax spam message, just dump it, it’s not true.

Update: The two sites listed in the spam hoax email (hyipops.com and tellhyip.com) are actually passing a Trojan to visitors’ browsers, so *DO NOT* visit the sites under any circumstances. Please see the report here.

Popularity: 8%

It’s amazing, not just the fact that Kindle: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device sold out in the first 5 1/2 hours following it’s official release, but what’s amazing is what this device can do.

What is Kindle

No PC and no syncing needed. Using the same 3G network as advanced cell phones, we deliver your content using our own wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—we take care of the hassles so you can just read. With Whispernet, you can be anywhere, think of a book, and get it in one minute. Similarly, your content automatically comes to you, wherever you are. Newspaper subscriptions are delivered wirelessly each morning. Most magazines arrive before they hit newsstands. Haven’t read the book for tomorrow night’s book club? Get it in a minute. Finished your book in the airport? Download the sequel while you board the plane. Whether you’re in the mood for something serious or hilarious, lighthearted or studious, Kindle delivers your spontaneous reading choices on demand. And because we know you can’t judge a book by its cover, Kindle lets you download and read the beginning of books for free. This way, you can try it out—if you like it, simply buy and download with 1-Click, right from your Kindle, and continue reading. Want to try a newspaper as well? All newspaper subscriptions start with a risk-free two-week trial.

Buying Books with Kindle
The Kindle Store currently carries more than 100,000 books plus newspapers, magazines, and blogs. For your convenience, you can shop the Kindle Store directly on Kindle or on your PC via Amazon.com. Either way, all titles are wirelessly delivered right to your Kindle for free. We pay for the wireless delivery charges so you don’t have to. Buy a book and we auto-deliver it to you wirelessly in one minute.

The Kindle Store provides the same Amazon shopping experience you’re used to, including customer reviews, personalized recommendations, 1-Click purchasing, and everyday low prices. Check the store often; we’re adding new titles every day.

Availability of Books on Kindle
Whether you prefer biographies, classics, investment guides, thrillers, or sci-fi, thousands of your favorite books are available. The Kindle Store offers more than 90 of 112 books currently found on the New York Times® Best Seller list and we’re adding more all the time. New York Times Best Sellers are $9.99, and you’ll find many books for less. Can’t decide what to buy? Kindle lets you download and read the beginning of any book for free. This way, you can try it out—if you like it, simply buy and download with 1-Click, right from your Kindle, and continue reading.

Technical Details:
Display: 6″ diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 4-level gray scale
Size (in inches): 7.5″ x 5.3″ x 0.7″
Weight: 10.3 ounces
System requirements: None, because it doesn’t require a computer

Kindle: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device

Popularity: 7%

It appears the Mortgage situation in the United States is beginning to be echoed by the mortgage situation in the United Kingdom as lenders mortgage experts are urging mortage seekers to act quickly because there are many changes on the horizon facing both homeowners and lenders alike. All around the world, mortgage providers are now becoming more careful to spread their inventory over a variety of mortgage products and competitive deals (theones that benefit consumers the most) are being pulled at short notice.

David Hollingworth, of London and Country Mortgages, said: “They are being much more careful about who they are lending to and how much business they take.”

Cheltenham & Gloucester will tell homebuyers today that they must put down a minimum deposit of 10% if they want one of it’s mortgages, as the clampdown on indiscriminate lending gathers pace. Meanwhile, Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest are withdrawing from offering mortgages for more than 95% of a property’s value.

C&G - owned by Lloyds TSB - is one of the biggest mortgage providers to rein in its lending in response to the credit crunch. The change means that a typical first-time buyer in London will have to stump up almost £25,000 to obtain one of the company’s home loans.

RBS/NatWest has already pulled out of offering mortgages above 95% through brokers; after March 7 this will also apply to branch-based home loan applications.

UK borrowers and businesses are advised to to locate the best possible mortgage deals now and lock them in before they are hit hard by the by the credit crunch.

Popularity: 9%

Reacting to news of yet another rate cut by the Federal Reserve, Wall Street soared high on Tuesday, sending the Dow Jones Industrial average up by more 400 points today. Helping the surge were better than expected numbers from big banks Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs, which momentarily eased the concerns after the collapse of Bear Stearns and it’s $2 per share buyout by JPMorgan.

Can also be good news for the housing market? Possibly, if it helps to push mortgage rates lower and opens the credit funnel a little wider. We’d love to think of having gotten through the worst of the housing crisis - even have signs of hope but the truth is that situation is dismal not only in the US but worldwide.

Popularity: 8%

In my previous article about finding the best deal on insurance, I touched on the idea that insurance, for the most part, is a necessary evil that plays an important part in our financial liabilities. The vast majority of consumers know why it is important to carry serveral insurance policies for their home and family. What most are unaware of is the important role adjustors can play in a settlement.

When an insurance policyholder files a claim, an adjuster will be brought in to verify that the coverage applies to the insurance policy, investigate liability for any damages and make restitution to the policyholder. In most cases, an insurance company will appoint a staff adjuster to the case and the policyholder will be offered a settlement based on the staff adjuster’s findings and recommendations. All too often, a policyholder will accept the settlement without dispute and feel they have been given the best deal possible. To understand why this is type of thinking can possibly cost a policyholder significant amounts of money owed to them, you must understand a few basic principles about insurance adjusters.

To begin with, there are three type of insurance adjusters:

• Staff Adjusters - Hired by the insurance company to investigate claims for the company.
• Independent Adjusters - Independent contractors hired to investigate claims for the insurance company
• Public Adjusters - Employed by the policyholder to negotiate with the insurance company

Both staff and independent adjustors have the insurance company to think of first when they are evaluating a claim. Independent adjusters often are retained with a commission based incentive which means they will get paid more if they are successful in getting the policyholder to agree to a lesser amount. Staff adjusters are working a different angle for the insurance company because a salaried adjuster will be subject to routine performance evaluations that can impact their salary and benefits.

A public adjuster is an an advocate for the policyholder in appraising and negotiating an insurance claim. Public Adjusters exist because of the a conflict of interest that arises when one person attempts to represent both sides of a settlement. Public adjusters are the only type of claims adjuster that can legally represent the rights of a policyholder during the claim process.

It is always a wise idea to let public adjuster review your claim even after you have settled with your insurer because most of the time a public adjuster can request that the claim be reopened to negotiation for more money if discrepancy is found.

The majority of policyholders are unaware that public adjusters even exist as an option to dealing directly with the insurance company representatives. A professional, conscientious public adjuster can make a tremendous difference in the amount of a policyholder’s settlement.

If you’re a policyholder and have filed a claim, don’t let your insurance company walk away with money they owe you. Make sure to consult a public adjuster before taking any offer.

Popularity: 9%