The Secretary of State has unveiled her list of the most common threats to investors. Topping Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s list of the most common ploys used to cheat Missourians is the Pyramid scheme in which a steady stream of money from new investors pays off old investors, until the flow of money and new investors dries up. Other top rip-offs include senior investment fraud, in which the elderly are targeted; high-yield investment schemes, selling supposedly top notch bank securities at discounts; and oil and gas scams, encouraging investors to put money into phony drilling operations. Carnahan’s advice: If an investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is.