Become a Free Lunch Seminar Monitor
By: AARP.org | Source: AARP.org | March 2009
Seeking Volunteers
View the 'What to Listen for Checklist' form.
Got Mail?
Send invitations and a completed 'What to Listen for Checklist' to:
AARP Financial Security Free Lunch Mailbag
601 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20049
S11-176
Or scan and e-mail to nofreelunch@aarp.org.
We'll make sure your state regulator gets your input.
- The High Cost of Free Lunch Seminars
- Free Lunch Seminars: Questions to Ask a Financial Professional
- A Free Lunch Invitation: Does it Say What it Means?
- View a Sample Invitation for a Free Lunch Seminar (PDF)
- "Senior Specialists": What's in a Name?
- Video: It Could Have Been the Costliest Lunch
- Online Community: Join the 'No Free Lunch' Group
Protecting Investors
Do you receive "Free Lunch Seminar" invitations? You are probably getting even more during tax season when these invitations promise no risk investments and ways to avoid all taxes. If so, and you are looking for an exciting volunteer opportunity, you can become an AARP Volunteer Free Lunch Monitor.
You can get involved by
- Mailing in your e-mail solicitations
- Viewing the 'What to Listen for Checklist'
- Attending a Free Lunch seminar, filling out the checklist and returning it to us
The free meal does not always mean free information. The ultimate goals are to recruit new clients and sell products. While some pitches can be easy to swallow, the consequences can be expensive. Consumers may go to the seminar with the expectation of learning how to grow and protect their investments and retirement savings. During the seminar, however, and in follow-up phone calls or in-home visits individuals may be pressured to make unsuitable investment decisions without having done their homework.
- If you have already decided to attend a free lunch seminar, download the What to Listen for Checklist.
- Attend a seminar you've been invited to attend
Instructions for the Free Lunch Monitor include:
- Do not announce that you are an AARP Free Lunch Monitor
- Do not wear clothing that indicates you are affiliated with AARP
- Collect all the handouts provided during the presentation
- During or after the seminar, fill in your observations on the What to Listen for Checklist
AARP wants to see what the invitations are saying and who is sending them. The more invitations you send us the better we can work together to assure that investment professionals truly work in the best interest of each investor.
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