TRACK BROKER RECORDS

Physicians are often the target forhot stock tips, most of which areworth what you pay for them. If thesource of a tip is a broker or investmentadvisor, you can check out theirtrack record at the National Associationof Securities Dealers regulatoryWeb site (www.nasdr.com). If youplug in the name of former MerrillLynch broker Douglas Faneuil, forexample, you get information on hisformer employment and on any negativemarks on his record. You canrequest an e-mail report to getspecifics, which turn out to hinge onFaneuil's involvement in the ongoingMartha Stewart insider trading case.If you're being asked to invest infutures, go to the National FuturesAssociation (www.nfa.futures.org) tocheck up on any possible problems.