5 ATM Tips to Save You From Scammers

Beware of No-Name ATMs

First Published Date: November 20, 2016

Technology is improving security features on your ATM cards and bank machines. And con artists or scammers are upgrading their skills to keep up with the technology. Using some simple tips and common sense can go a long way to save your money from the con artists. Here are a few tips today:

– Be extremely careful using no-name ATM machines. No-name machines are owned by private businesses or individuals, not any financial institutions. Always use precautions when using these stand-alone machines. Not only you are paying additional ATM fees, but also you are taking additional risks of getting scammed using these machines.

Author/Copyright: Ahmed Dawn www.adawnjournal.com

– Scammers use high tech devices such as hidden cameras, scanning devices, and card readers to copy your debit or credit card information and then they make clone cards to empty out your bank or credit card accounts. If you notice or feel something unusual such as slot is too tight for your card, visible attachment to the machine, signs sticking on the wall asking you to use one particular machine, someone standing nearby the machine and pretending to read a newspaper, or anything that does not make sense, leave that spot right away and go to different location.

– Cover your keypad so any person behind you or any video camera cannot see your password input on keypad.

– Your card should enter through the slot smoothly. If you struggle to enter your card or notice anything unusual on the slot, do not use that ATM. If the ATM eats your card, call your bank immediately.

– Always be vigilant, take precautions, and use your common sense. For example, if you see an ATM that is not well-lit, or an ATM in a bad neighbourhood, or anything suspicious, do not use that ATM.

Tiny Cam Records 4K Video and Goes Underwater

Akaso EK7000 Action Camera Review

First Published Date : December 10, 2016

If you are familiar with the A Dawn Journal Youtube channel, you may have noticed me posting videos of the places I travel and the hotels I stay in. One of my friends recently suggested that an action camera would be perfect for me (along with my other camera or smartphone camera), as they are small and unobtrusive. But when I started searching for it, I found out that brand name action cameras like Nikon or Go Pro can cost $400/$500 and that’s a lot to spend on something I have no idea about for the first time.

Author/Copyright: Ahmed Dawn www.adawnjournal.com

So I decided to go for a cheaper brand on Amazon and after reading all the reviews and ratings, I decided to give the Akaso action camera a try. If it happens to be a waste, I would not feel bad losing around $100 (instead of $400/$500).

When I received my package and opened it, I was amazed by the miniature size of this high-tech 4K camera and all the features that many expensive cameras will not be able to offer. For example, it can go underwater, you can mount it to your chest, wrist, or head with the accessories provided, and you can see the cam screen on your smartphone.

I did a full box opening and review video of this cam. I will provide a link to the YouTube video on top of this post and don’t forget to check it out.

A funny thing I must mention is that in Toronto if people see crews are filming movie or TV scenes, they will not pay much attention. However, when people saw me recording holding my tiny camera, I got lots of curious stares, as this tiny camera looks very cute and eye-catching. Someone even asked me if this is the world’s smallest camera.

RBC Business Cash Back MasterCard Review

No Fee 1% Cash Back Card

First Published Date: February 5, 2017

If you are a small business owner and looking for a no-frills credit card, look no further than the RBC Business Cash Back MasterCard. This card may not provide a lot of benefits, but it’s still good for those who aren’t looking for anything from a plain vanilla business credit card.

Sometimes you just want to have a business credit card to keep an active credit card under your business name. And that’s exactly why I have this credit card, although I don’t really use it. For a No Annual Fee credit card, the RBC Business Cash Back MasterCard offers the following features:

– Promotional 2 percent cash back for the first three months

– 1 percent cash back across the board thereafter

– Get cash back whenever you accumulate $25 or once a year in January

– Purchase security guarantee for 90 days

– Extended warranty for one additional year

As you can see, it’s not really a feature-rich credit card, but for no fee getting 1 percent back on everything is not bad either.

Business owners may need to separate their business transactions on credit cards, hence the need for a separate credit card solely for business. I charge my all business transactions on my regular personal credit cards that offer rich rewards and still keep a couple of no-fee business credit card accounts active for my business credit file.

If you are looking for better rewards on your business transactions, there are other annual fee credit cards you can go for. But for those who are not willing to pay annual fee, the RBC Business Cash Back MasterCard does the job and still provides 1 percent return.

New Canadian Prepaid Credit Card Rules

Federal Government Tightens Prepaid Credit Card Rules

First Published Date: February 7, 2017

The Canadian government unveils new prepaid credit card regulations to protect consumers today. Here are some changes that will take place starting May 1, 2014.

– There will not be any more expiration dates on prepaid cards.

– There will not be any maintenance or dormancy fess for at least one year once you activate the card.

– The outside packaging or box will clearly show fees user friendly way.

– Information such as how long you can use it, terms and conditions, a toll-free number, etc must be clearly displayed.

While prepaid credit cards are relatively new, you can find them in grocery stores and supermarkets, and they are becoming very popular.

Rethink Your Retirement

Smart Retirement Moves

First Published Date: February 12, 2017

If you are planning to retire soon or in the near future, you will need to always look out for options and strategies to make your retirement years comfortable and smooth, as retirement conception is always changing. Today, I will talk about a few things that you can consider that would be unthinkable in the past.

Changing Country – Although there is a dark side to retiring abroad, it is possible to find your piece of heaven in foreign lands. Moving to a different country is a reality now and people are already doing it. The main reason people do it because of the extra power your hard-earned money gets when you move to a low-cost country. There are tools and help available online to research on this further, including some articles I have written here in the A Dawn Journal Retirement Section. Always research well and visit the country you plan to move to first before your final decision. Search online by putting these keywords to start research: “International retirement”, “low-cost retirement countries”, “best countries to retire abroad”, etc.

Not Retiring Is The New Normal – As technology is making us live longer and healthier, it is becoming a norm not to retire at all. This can mean different things for different people. Some people would love to reduce work hours after a certain age, while some may choose to do something totally different than what they have been doing at work; some want to open a small coffee shop somewhere they find peaceful, or some of us would like to start travelling full time. The point is that retirement does not have to be sitting at home, doing nothing, and counting the minutes. Find out things that really matter to you and redirect your passion or new career towards navigating that path. It will open up new vistas and not only you will be happy, but it is also possible to make income out of some of these new passions.