Updated on March 29, 2007.

WELCOME. You are about to embark on an interactive tour of the more gruesome side of investing. Remember those car-crash videos you saw in driver's ed? Same idea. We've picked five horrific market events that demonstrate just how easy it is to lose money in stocks if you're not paying attention. Market crashes? Management fraud? We've got 'em.

But it's not all bad news. Coupled with each of these disasters is a prescription for avoidance a strategy for defending yourself and maximizing your rewards. The stock market can be a scary place at times, but as long as you're protected, it's clearly the best way to build your wealth. In fact, if you've yet to start investing, the fifth and last demonstration should be the scariest of all. Imploding stocks are one thing. But an underfunded retirement is a chamber of horrors all its own.

In this section:

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  Look Out Below

• The Waiting Game

• Sorry, Wrong Numbers

• Wall Street Water Torture

• Monday Nights at Denny's