detnews.com - Business

Mich. junk e-mail king gets prison in penny stock scam

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:37:00 EST

A federal judge on Monday sentenced Michigan's "Spam King" Alan M. Ralsky to four years and three months in prison and ordered him to forfeit $250,000 for his lead role in a massive Internet scheme to pump up the prices of penny stocks. Prosecutors estimated Ralsky made between $400,000 and $1 million through the scheme, which involved sending out tens of millions of e-mail messages each day.

Michigan's housing chief defaults on loans

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:32:00 EST

A homebuilder who chairs the state housing authority has been the target of lawsuits seeking more than $100 million in judgments in Michigan and around the country over failed projects.

Retailers face chilly holiday season

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:52:00 EST

Faced with the prospect of a $4 billion drop in consumer spending this holiday season, retailers in Michigan and across the country are offering Black Friday promotions before Thanksgiving and touting inexpensive gifts to lure more shoppers.

Brian J. O'Connor: The Grand Experiment: Taking a baby-sitting stand

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:12:00 EST

It's a tough balancing act: Cut too much, and the best sitters will simply drop the Your Money family. Yet you need sitters smart enough to help your kid with homework, not some tween-age girls giving him plot points to the latest "Twilight" installment. Child care always is a gnarly problem, and in this case the answer is simple: Dad.

October home sales rise 10.1% from September

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:32:00 EST

Washington -- Home sales far exceeded expectations last month, surging to the highest level in 2 1/2 years as first-time buyers rushed to take advantage of an expiring tax credit.

Holiday trimmings on your rental car

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

Travelers have been able to score decent deals on hotel rooms and airfares over the last year. But car rental prices have increased dramatically despite the weak economy.

Retailers ramp up specials

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

Retailers are getting creative in a tough holiday season, vying for cash-strapped customers with tactics that range from dropping prices to accepting food stamps to offering layaway online.

Late payments on credit cards drop in 3rd quarter

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

NEW YORK -- For the first time in a decade, more people paid their credit card bills on time in the third quarter this year than in the second quarter.

Rising unemployment taxes could hinder hiring

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

WASHINGTON -- As if small businesses needed another reason not to hire, consider their latest financial burden: The cost of rising unemployment itself.

Canadian woman vows fight after benefits cut over Facebook photos

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:07:00 EST

Montreal -- A Canadian woman on sick leave for depression said Monday she would fight an insurance company's decision to cut her benefits after her agent found photos on Facebook of her vacationing, at a bar and at a party.