Is there any ROTH IRA scams out there...cause i might consider putting 4k in roth ira but is it guarantted?

is this money insured or guaranteed by anybody, i don't want to take on that risk for such a long term investment

There are no Roth IRA Scams that I know of. I think you may have your risk tolerance ideas backwards though. It is the short term investments where you will need the cash soon that you don't want to take risks on. The long term investments are where you can take more risk due to the longer time horizon befor you need the money.

The only way you will be guaranteed not to lose your money would be to invest in a Money Market fund or some type of CD. Keep in mind though that if you earn 5% on your CD, there is no way you will keep up with inflation until your retire.

It can be invested in many different ways, including low-risk stuff like CDs or higher risk stuff like mutual funds.

You need to look at investment risk again, however. Long term, stocks have a MUCH better return than any bank account. You have to be ready to ride the ups and downs, and a retirement account is perfect for that.

Short-term investments (when you know you're going to need the money soon) is where you avoid risk. Long-term investments is where you can take some more risk, assuming that the expected long-term return will be strong enough.

Pick a reputable place to open your account, and make sure the fees are low. (If you choose to stick with stuff like CDs, just go to a bank with good CD rates. If you choose to invest in mutual funds, go direclty to a mutual fund company like Fidelity, or a low-cost broker.)

By the way, a ROTH is the BEST investment vehicle there is for most people, unless you're comparing it to a 401k or similar plan where your employer gives you additional money.