Your Money

By Daniel Eisenberg

Web Stock Scams Busted

Here's a really hot online stock tip: ignore most unsolicited advice. The SEC delivered that warning last week when it charged more than 40 promoters with fraud for touting and lying about microcap stocks on Web message boards, in junk e-mail and in online newsletters, in exchange for $6 million. Before buying any shares, do your own research at sites like www.sec.gov

Students Make Loans Pay

When it comes to repaying college loans, students are getting better grades. In 1996 the national default rate on loans fell below 10% for the first time ever, the Department of Education said last week. To keep up the good marks, graduates with debt have until Jan. 31 to get a lower 7.46% interest rate by consolidating loans in the federal direct-loan program. For information call (800) 557-7392.

Best Cities to Bet On

Investors in the hunt for prime real estate should shun overbuilt suburban cities like Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix, Ariz. Older metropolitan centers, such as Chicago, New York City and San Francisco, offer the best prospects for investing, according to a new Price Waterhouse Coopers report. Investors should look for REITs, such as Boston Properties, Prime Group Realty and Vornado, that invest in older cities.

--By Daniel Eisenberg