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By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer
MIAMI (AP)—Tim James apologized for being late. A rough day at work, said the Miami Heat’s 1999 first-round
draft pick. Vehicles broke down, problems flared up, and he simply fell behind.
“It happens,” James said. “Even here.”
Even on the front line of the Iraq war.
A former NBA player who often wondered about his true calling, Tim James is now a U.S. Army soldier, a
transformation that even many of the people closest to him never saw coming.
“I got my degree, lived the life I was able, have my freedom and became a professional athlete,” James said
last week from Iraq. “I’m the example of the American dream.”
AP - Aug 30, 2:02 pm EDT 1 of 3 NBA Gallery James is at Camp Speicher, the massive base near Tikrit, 85
miles north of Baghdad, not far from Saddam Hussein’s hometown and where insurgents still are a perpetual
threat. For Miami Northwestern High, the Miami Hurricanes, three NBA teams and some foreign clubs, he was
forward Tim James. For the Army, he’s Spc. Tim James of Task Force ODIN—short for Observe, Detect,
Identify, Neutralize.
In layman’s terms, he’s part of the unit tasked with watching and catching the bad guys before they plant
bombs.
So long, charter jets, enormous paychecks and Ritz-Carlton hotel stays.
Hello, 130-degree afternoons, 12-hour work days, $2,600 a month and 50-caliber machine guns.
“In life, we all have different desires and needs,” said Leonard Hamilton, James’ college coach and now the
coach at Florida State. “With the passion he has, he had to go fulfill this. I’m in total support of Tim and what
he’s doing. He’s at peace. All we can do is hope he comes back safely.”
James spent years thinking about the prospects of a military career. Drafted 25th overall by the Heat, James’
NBA career barely registered a basketball blip: He appeared in 43 games for Miami, Charlotte and
Philadelphia, never starting and never scoring more than seven points in a game.
So he went to play overseas, making a fine living in Japan, Turkey and Israel. By 2007, his playing days were
done. After months of deliberating, he made the difficult decision that would take him away from his family and
5-year-old son, whom James still tries to talk with by phone every night. Even so, Tim James Jr. doesn’t
understand where his dad is.
“I think of myself as a patriot,” James said. “I wanted to give back to a country that gave so much to me.”
James is believed to be the first former NBA player to enlist and then serve in Iraq. Arizona Cardinals safety
Pat Tillman quit football to become an Army Ranger and was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.
James joined the Army on Sept. 12, 2008. The training was brutal, even for a 6-foot-8 basketball player whose
athleticism had drawn raves since junior high school. James slept outside in frigid night air, scaled seven-story
towers, endured 10-mile marches (“with full battle rattle, as they say,” he said), and learned how to take apart
and reassemble his weapon.
AP - Aug 30, 2:02 pm EDT
He never questioned if he was making the right decision.
“I have no doubts,” James said. “I have no regrets. Not one bit.”
His 12-month deployment to Iraq started in late July. On his second night there, James was awoken from a
sound sleep, completely startled. Machine gun fire. The sound of war. Understandably, it took a while for him
to fall back asleep.
“It’s a pretty impressive thing that he’s doing, making the transition from where he was then to where he is
now,” said James’ captain, Curtis Byron. “Such a small percentage of U.S. citizens are in the military or are
veterans, doing their part to protect the nation’s freedom. Putting that life behind you, setting aside any
thoughts you had before about the military, that’s impressive.”
Byron said James didn’t tell most members of his unit that he used to be an NBA player. James not only didn’t
want the attention, he didn’t want to be treated differently than anyone else.
“He’s very humble,” Byron said. “To him, it’s not a big deal at all.”
Oh, but it’s a very big deal to the Heat.
They preach family inside the Heat complex, and even though James played only four games, he’s forever
part of the Heat family. Rob Wilson, the team’s director of sports media relations, helped arrange for two boxes
of T-shirts and posters to be sent to Iraq as a morale booster. They should get there this week, unless
sandstorms delay the arrival of mail—a common occurrence.
Included in that package is an 8-minute, 31-second DVD, with greetings to James from several members of the
organization. Another DVD from the Heat is already in the works, and the team is already planning to honor
James at a home game this season.
“I just want to wish you good luck, man,” Heat captain Udonis Haslem(notes), who wears No. 40 to honor two of
his idols who had that number—his father and James—said on the DVD. “God bless you and keep doing what
you’re doing.”
“Stay focused,” said Heat center Jamaal Magloire(notes), a former James teammate. “Never let your guard
down and get back to us safe.”
“You’re not like any other basketball player out there,” Heat assistant coach Keith Askins said.
Since 2006, Miami has given a center-court tribute to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan at every
home game, a program Heat president Pat Riley developed and called the HomeStrong initiative.
He said he cannot wait for James to get his due.
“The work we do, while being important to us, is made possible by the efforts of our soldiers in the Middle
East,” said Riley, who coached James in his lone season with the team.
James can’t discuss specifics of his mission, although Byron said the unit should not face “the direct threat” of
enemy action.
The stakes are higher than any basketball game, for certain, but James says he can still draw the parallel
between fighting on the court and fighting for his country.
“I’ve been in the heat of the moment on the court in the fourth quarter, tie game, and yes, you would think that’
s a battle,” James said. “There’s nothing I hate more than losing. To be here, risking your life, it’s definitely
another level. It’s like a scouting report for a game. All you can do is try to execute your mission. A loss here,
that could be a lost life.”
MIAMI (AP)—Tim James apologized for being late. A rough day at work, said the Miami Heat’s 1999 first-round
draft pick. Vehicles broke down, problems flared up, and he simply fell behind.
“It happens,” James said. “Even here.”
Even on the front line of the Iraq war.
A former NBA player who often wondered about his true calling, Tim James is now a U.S. Army soldier, a
transformation that even many of the people closest to him never saw coming.
“I got my degree, lived the life I was able, have my freedom and became a professional athlete,” James said
last week from Iraq. “I’m the example of the American dream.”
AP - Aug 30, 2:02 pm EDT 1 of 3 NBA Gallery James is at Camp Speicher, the massive base near Tikrit, 85
miles north of Baghdad, not far from Saddam Hussein’s hometown and where insurgents still are a perpetual
threat. For Miami Northwestern High, the Miami Hurricanes, three NBA teams and some foreign clubs, he was
forward Tim James. For the Army, he’s Spc. Tim James of Task Force ODIN—short for Observe, Detect,
Identify, Neutralize.
In layman’s terms, he’s part of the unit tasked with watching and catching the bad guys before they plant
bombs.
So long, charter jets, enormous paychecks and Ritz-Carlton hotel stays.
Hello, 130-degree afternoons, 12-hour work days, $2,600 a month and 50-caliber machine guns.
“In life, we all have different desires and needs,” said Leonard Hamilton, James’ college coach and now the
coach at Florida State. “With the passion he has, he had to go fulfill this. I’m in total support of Tim and what
he’s doing. He’s at peace. All we can do is hope he comes back safely.”
James spent years thinking about the prospects of a military career. Drafted 25th overall by the Heat, James’
NBA career barely registered a basketball blip: He appeared in 43 games for Miami, Charlotte and
Philadelphia, never starting and never scoring more than seven points in a game.
So he went to play overseas, making a fine living in Japan, Turkey and Israel. By 2007, his playing days were
done. After months of deliberating, he made the difficult decision that would take him away from his family and
5-year-old son, whom James still tries to talk with by phone every night. Even so, Tim James Jr. doesn’t
understand where his dad is.
“I think of myself as a patriot,” James said. “I wanted to give back to a country that gave so much to me.”
James is believed to be the first former NBA player to enlist and then serve in Iraq. Arizona Cardinals safety
Pat Tillman quit football to become an Army Ranger and was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004.
James joined the Army on Sept. 12, 2008. The training was brutal, even for a 6-foot-8 basketball player whose
athleticism had drawn raves since junior high school. James slept outside in frigid night air, scaled seven-story
towers, endured 10-mile marches (“with full battle rattle, as they say,” he said), and learned how to take apart
and reassemble his weapon.
AP - Aug 30, 2:02 pm EDT
He never questioned if he was making the right decision.
“I have no doubts,” James said. “I have no regrets. Not one bit.”
His 12-month deployment to Iraq started in late July. On his second night there, James was awoken from a
sound sleep, completely startled. Machine gun fire. The sound of war. Understandably, it took a while for him
to fall back asleep.
“It’s a pretty impressive thing that he’s doing, making the transition from where he was then to where he is
now,” said James’ captain, Curtis Byron. “Such a small percentage of U.S. citizens are in the military or are
veterans, doing their part to protect the nation’s freedom. Putting that life behind you, setting aside any
thoughts you had before about the military, that’s impressive.”
Byron said James didn’t tell most members of his unit that he used to be an NBA player. James not only didn’t
want the attention, he didn’t want to be treated differently than anyone else.
“He’s very humble,” Byron said. “To him, it’s not a big deal at all.”
Oh, but it’s a very big deal to the Heat.
They preach family inside the Heat complex, and even though James played only four games, he’s forever
part of the Heat family. Rob Wilson, the team’s director of sports media relations, helped arrange for two boxes
of T-shirts and posters to be sent to Iraq as a morale booster. They should get there this week, unless
sandstorms delay the arrival of mail—a common occurrence.
Included in that package is an 8-minute, 31-second DVD, with greetings to James from several members of the
organization. Another DVD from the Heat is already in the works, and the team is already planning to honor
James at a home game this season.
“I just want to wish you good luck, man,” Heat captain Udonis Haslem(notes), who wears No. 40 to honor two of
his idols who had that number—his father and James—said on the DVD. “God bless you and keep doing what
you’re doing.”
“Stay focused,” said Heat center Jamaal Magloire(notes), a former James teammate. “Never let your guard
down and get back to us safe.”
“You’re not like any other basketball player out there,” Heat assistant coach Keith Askins said.
Since 2006, Miami has given a center-court tribute to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan at every
home game, a program Heat president Pat Riley developed and called the HomeStrong initiative.
He said he cannot wait for James to get his due.
“The work we do, while being important to us, is made possible by the efforts of our soldiers in the Middle
East,” said Riley, who coached James in his lone season with the team.
James can’t discuss specifics of his mission, although Byron said the unit should not face “the direct threat” of
enemy action.
The stakes are higher than any basketball game, for certain, but James says he can still draw the parallel
between fighting on the court and fighting for his country.
“I’ve been in the heat of the moment on the court in the fourth quarter, tie game, and yes, you would think that’
s a battle,” James said. “There’s nothing I hate more than losing. To be here, risking your life, it’s definitely
another level. It’s like a scouting report for a game. All you can do is try to execute your mission. A loss here,
that could be a lost life.”
The tragedy of J.R. Richard: A story seldom told
AUGUST 5, 1999
by BEN HOCHMAN The Sporting News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J.R. Richard was baseball's most dominating righthander until a stroke ended his career in 1980.
On July 25, while pitcher Nolan Ryan was being inducted into the Hall of Fame, former teammate J.R.
Richard was giving aide the homeless with fellow ministers at the Now Testament Church in Houston.
Nineteen years ago, Richard appeared to be right beside Ryan on the path towards Cooperstown.
"But life is what it is. You can't change that," said Richard. "You can't worry about what happened
yesterday."
The story of J.R. Richard is one seldom told. The tragic tale of the Richard, who was once baseball's
most dominant hurler, shows the righthander's journey from the pinnacle of success to the depths of
failure.
Richard, a Houston Astros pitcher at the zenith of his career, had stardom snatched from him by the
effects of a near-fatal, career-ending stroke in July of 1980. In the years following the stroke, we see
a broken man, a former All-Star plagued with problems, sometimes homeless but never hopeless.
Between 1976 and 1980, whether Richard was one of the best pitchers in baseball was never in
question. The question was whether Richard was as good as other modern day greats, particularly
Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax. "I don't think there was no question," said Richard.
"I did things to exceed Gibson and I did things to exceed Koufax...I'm not trying to pat myself on the
back, but I didn't talk too much, and I let the actions do most of my speaking."
Richard made his major league debut in 1971 but for the first five years of his career -- like Koufax
before him -- the Astros' pitcher had trouble finding his control and a spot in the starting rotation. But
in 1976, Richard won 20 games and emerged as a dominant starter. For the next five seasons,
Richard proved himself virtually unhittable.
In 1977, Richard was 18-12 with a 2.97 ERA, 267 innings pitched and 214 strikeouts, second in the
NL. In '78, he was 18-11 with a 3.11 ERA, 275 1/3 innings pitched and 16 complete games. His
opponents batting average was a minuscule, league-best .196, and he compiled a league-high 303
strikeouts. He became the first National League righthander to ever eclipse the 300-strikeout mark.
With his 6-8, 240-pound frame and a blistering fastball which frequently exceeded 100 mph, Richard
was feared across the National League.
"I remember Richie Hebner saying, 'How do you expect me to hit a guy when you can smell his
breath?'," said former teammate Bob Watson in 1990. "So that puts it in perspective. The guy was
just dominating."
But the year 1979 will standout in Richard's career -- and the record books -- as one of the finest
single-season performances ever. Richard was second in the NL in wins (18), innings pitched (292
1/3), complete games (19) and shutouts (four) and was best in the NL with a 2.71 ERA, a .209
opponents batting average and 313 strikeouts, surpassing his own record of single-season
strikeouts for a NL righthander.
Entering 1980, Richard continued to dominate. By the All-Star break, he was 10-4 with an ERA under
2.00. He was awarded the starting pitching job for the NL in the All-Star Game. Throughout the early
summer of '80, however, Richard continuously complained of a tired arm. Yet, the validity of
Richard's injury was questioned by some. "You know what gets me, they talk about me faking!" said
Richard. "I'd pitched five years in a row without missing a start and they talking about me faking."
In his only start after the All-Star break, Richard was having trouble seeing the catcher's signs and
had unusual slow movement on off-speed pitches. After 3 1/3 innings, he was pulled from the game
and placed on the disabled list. From there, according to Richard, no other action was taken. "It was
a bunch of junk," said Richard. "Why wasn't I taken to the hospital and diagnosed to see what was
really wrong if I'd meant so much to the Houston Astros?"
On July 30, 1980, during what seemed to be an innocent game of catch prior to the evening's game,
J.R. Richard collapsed while suffering a major stroke.
The stroke occurred during a time in which blood flow through main arteries in the right side of the
neck was cut off. Richard had no pulse in his right carotid artery and blood flow was cut off for three
or four hours. Nine hours after Richard collapsed, he underwent emergency, life-saving surgery.
Richard would never visit a major league mound again. In a spring-training comeback attempt in
1981, Richard showed signs of slow reactions and depth perception problems and didn't make the
Astros club. By 1983, after a few seasons in the minors, Richard ended any hopes of a comeback.
"I didn't reach my prime! It was all taken from me when I was coming along," said Richard. "Who
knows how much better I would have gotten or what kind of records I would have put up? ... I could
have struck out 300 or more batters four or five more times... I do firmly believe I would of passed Mr.
Nolan Ryan on strikeouts if I had stayed healthy."
He was never the same.
Richard's life became a tailspin of failure and pain. Bad business investments lost him hundreds of
thousands of dollars. Agents and attorneys turned their backs on him. He divorced twice, lost his
suburban Houston home and was near-broke multiple times. In the winter of 1994, Richard was found
homeless living under a bridge.
Reverend Floyd Lewis of the Now Testament Church in South Houston helped Richard during his
days immediately following being homeless. "Even though he was J.R. Richard, when you are down
and out, as they say, it applies to everybody," said Lewis.
"A lot of homeless people don't want to face the responsibility of society," continued Lewis. "But J.R.
refused to be there."
With Lewis' aide and a strong sense of God, Richard overcame homelessness. "I always knew God
was on my side," said Richard. "I just wasn't on my own side."
Today, Richard is a minister at Lewis' church. Together, they work closely with other homeless
people and troubled youth.
"The only way to understand homelessness is to get out there under the bridge," said Richard. "I am
very lucky. Anytime God has enough time to stop by me and put something on my lap and change
me to make me a better individual, you have to consider yourself to be very fortunate. God allowed
me to got through this to make me a better individual."
Richard is working hard to establish programs that help kids survive their troubled surroundings. "I
want to help kids across the world and homeless across the world...but first they have want to help
themselves," he said. "Knowledge-wise I have a great deal to offer to kids."
Richard is currently working with private donors in Houston to help establish baseball programs for
kids. "If they can join a gang, then they can play baseball," said Richard. "Most times they join a gang
because they don't have anything else to do"
Many of Richard's experiences can help him connect to those he is working with today. Along with his
vast experiences from life in the majors to life without a home, Richard also has had past experiences
with drug abuse -- primarily during his playing days. "Most everyone in the world went through a little
phase," said Richard. "But I went through it and came out ahead. Today, so many people are looking
for the problem, they never can see the solution."
For Richard, watching Nolan Ryan, the man whose records he believes he could have surpassed,
inducted into Cooperstown was not painful. "I was happy for him and he deserved it," said Richard.
"You can't take anything away from the man because what happen to me in my life -- his records
speak for himself...sometimes God has to put different people through different things to get them to
understand things. Unfortunately, I was the one."
Surprisingly, Richard seldom takes the time to ask himself "What if...".
"That's hindsight and that doesn't do any good to sit here and dwell on what could of been," said
Richard. "It's part of my past and I'm trying to go further in life. I try to leave that alone and look at
what's in front of me."
AUGUST 5, 1999
by BEN HOCHMAN The Sporting News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J.R. Richard was baseball's most dominating righthander until a stroke ended his career in 1980.
On July 25, while pitcher Nolan Ryan was being inducted into the Hall of Fame, former teammate J.R.
Richard was giving aide the homeless with fellow ministers at the Now Testament Church in Houston.
Nineteen years ago, Richard appeared to be right beside Ryan on the path towards Cooperstown.
"But life is what it is. You can't change that," said Richard. "You can't worry about what happened
yesterday."
The story of J.R. Richard is one seldom told. The tragic tale of the Richard, who was once baseball's
most dominant hurler, shows the righthander's journey from the pinnacle of success to the depths of
failure.
Richard, a Houston Astros pitcher at the zenith of his career, had stardom snatched from him by the
effects of a near-fatal, career-ending stroke in July of 1980. In the years following the stroke, we see
a broken man, a former All-Star plagued with problems, sometimes homeless but never hopeless.
Between 1976 and 1980, whether Richard was one of the best pitchers in baseball was never in
question. The question was whether Richard was as good as other modern day greats, particularly
Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax. "I don't think there was no question," said Richard.
"I did things to exceed Gibson and I did things to exceed Koufax...I'm not trying to pat myself on the
back, but I didn't talk too much, and I let the actions do most of my speaking."
Richard made his major league debut in 1971 but for the first five years of his career -- like Koufax
before him -- the Astros' pitcher had trouble finding his control and a spot in the starting rotation. But
in 1976, Richard won 20 games and emerged as a dominant starter. For the next five seasons,
Richard proved himself virtually unhittable.
In 1977, Richard was 18-12 with a 2.97 ERA, 267 innings pitched and 214 strikeouts, second in the
NL. In '78, he was 18-11 with a 3.11 ERA, 275 1/3 innings pitched and 16 complete games. His
opponents batting average was a minuscule, league-best .196, and he compiled a league-high 303
strikeouts. He became the first National League righthander to ever eclipse the 300-strikeout mark.
With his 6-8, 240-pound frame and a blistering fastball which frequently exceeded 100 mph, Richard
was feared across the National League.
"I remember Richie Hebner saying, 'How do you expect me to hit a guy when you can smell his
breath?'," said former teammate Bob Watson in 1990. "So that puts it in perspective. The guy was
just dominating."
But the year 1979 will standout in Richard's career -- and the record books -- as one of the finest
single-season performances ever. Richard was second in the NL in wins (18), innings pitched (292
1/3), complete games (19) and shutouts (four) and was best in the NL with a 2.71 ERA, a .209
opponents batting average and 313 strikeouts, surpassing his own record of single-season
strikeouts for a NL righthander.
Entering 1980, Richard continued to dominate. By the All-Star break, he was 10-4 with an ERA under
2.00. He was awarded the starting pitching job for the NL in the All-Star Game. Throughout the early
summer of '80, however, Richard continuously complained of a tired arm. Yet, the validity of
Richard's injury was questioned by some. "You know what gets me, they talk about me faking!" said
Richard. "I'd pitched five years in a row without missing a start and they talking about me faking."
In his only start after the All-Star break, Richard was having trouble seeing the catcher's signs and
had unusual slow movement on off-speed pitches. After 3 1/3 innings, he was pulled from the game
and placed on the disabled list. From there, according to Richard, no other action was taken. "It was
a bunch of junk," said Richard. "Why wasn't I taken to the hospital and diagnosed to see what was
really wrong if I'd meant so much to the Houston Astros?"
On July 30, 1980, during what seemed to be an innocent game of catch prior to the evening's game,
J.R. Richard collapsed while suffering a major stroke.
The stroke occurred during a time in which blood flow through main arteries in the right side of the
neck was cut off. Richard had no pulse in his right carotid artery and blood flow was cut off for three
or four hours. Nine hours after Richard collapsed, he underwent emergency, life-saving surgery.
Richard would never visit a major league mound again. In a spring-training comeback attempt in
1981, Richard showed signs of slow reactions and depth perception problems and didn't make the
Astros club. By 1983, after a few seasons in the minors, Richard ended any hopes of a comeback.
"I didn't reach my prime! It was all taken from me when I was coming along," said Richard. "Who
knows how much better I would have gotten or what kind of records I would have put up? ... I could
have struck out 300 or more batters four or five more times... I do firmly believe I would of passed Mr.
Nolan Ryan on strikeouts if I had stayed healthy."
He was never the same.
Richard's life became a tailspin of failure and pain. Bad business investments lost him hundreds of
thousands of dollars. Agents and attorneys turned their backs on him. He divorced twice, lost his
suburban Houston home and was near-broke multiple times. In the winter of 1994, Richard was found
homeless living under a bridge.
Reverend Floyd Lewis of the Now Testament Church in South Houston helped Richard during his
days immediately following being homeless. "Even though he was J.R. Richard, when you are down
and out, as they say, it applies to everybody," said Lewis.
"A lot of homeless people don't want to face the responsibility of society," continued Lewis. "But J.R.
refused to be there."
With Lewis' aide and a strong sense of God, Richard overcame homelessness. "I always knew God
was on my side," said Richard. "I just wasn't on my own side."
Today, Richard is a minister at Lewis' church. Together, they work closely with other homeless
people and troubled youth.
"The only way to understand homelessness is to get out there under the bridge," said Richard. "I am
very lucky. Anytime God has enough time to stop by me and put something on my lap and change
me to make me a better individual, you have to consider yourself to be very fortunate. God allowed
me to got through this to make me a better individual."
Richard is working hard to establish programs that help kids survive their troubled surroundings. "I
want to help kids across the world and homeless across the world...but first they have want to help
themselves," he said. "Knowledge-wise I have a great deal to offer to kids."
Richard is currently working with private donors in Houston to help establish baseball programs for
kids. "If they can join a gang, then they can play baseball," said Richard. "Most times they join a gang
because they don't have anything else to do"
Many of Richard's experiences can help him connect to those he is working with today. Along with his
vast experiences from life in the majors to life without a home, Richard also has had past experiences
with drug abuse -- primarily during his playing days. "Most everyone in the world went through a little
phase," said Richard. "But I went through it and came out ahead. Today, so many people are looking
for the problem, they never can see the solution."
For Richard, watching Nolan Ryan, the man whose records he believes he could have surpassed,
inducted into Cooperstown was not painful. "I was happy for him and he deserved it," said Richard.
"You can't take anything away from the man because what happen to me in my life -- his records
speak for himself...sometimes God has to put different people through different things to get them to
understand things. Unfortunately, I was the one."
Surprisingly, Richard seldom takes the time to ask himself "What if...".
"That's hindsight and that doesn't do any good to sit here and dwell on what could of been," said
Richard. "It's part of my past and I'm trying to go further in life. I try to leave that alone and look at
what's in front of me."
FYI How to Avoid Job Scams
Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer
"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."
If nothing else, this age-old adage might be the most important
piece of advice to remember in your job search, especially in
today's market.
Though job scams are prevalent at any point in time, today's
tough economic times have increased the amount of scammers
looking to take advantage of people desperate to make money
and find a job.
"With the economy sliding, people who might otherwise be
skeptical want to find a silver lining and too often mistake the glitz
and glamour promises of a scammer's ad for their path to
financial security," says Christine Durst, co-founder and CEO of
Staffcentrix, a training and development company that focuses on
home-based work.
Durst says Staffcentrix researchers screen about 5,000 home
jobs leads every week, and there is a "56-to-one scam ratio"
among work-at-home job ads. Any opportunity where you can
"make money fast," "no experience is necessary," or "work in
your pajamas" is appealing to people, so they get thrown into the
scam mix.
Mindy A. Bockstein, chairperson and executive director of the
New York State Consumer Protection Board, agrees that people
are trying to capitalize on the strong desire for work and income
in different populations and communities.
"Don't fall for get-rich-quick schemes, work-at-home scams,
pyramid schemes and numerous other approaches promising
employment and wealth but being used to separate job seekers
from their money," she says.
Who's the Target of Job Scams?
Anyone seeking a better job opportunity or looking to earn some
money -- even smart people -- can get sucked into scams, says
Robin Giroir, regional vice president of Spherion Staffing
Services. With the wide scope of the Internet, every bogus "job"
can reach hundreds of thousands of people, she says.
Durst says victims of work-at-home scams are typically -- and
unfortunately -- those who can least afford to part with their
money. For one particular scam reviewed by Staffcentrix, the
demographics were primarily female, between the ages of 18-49,
with children, less affluent and who did not have a college
education.
"We are also seeing a rise in the number of seniors and retirees
falling prey to these cons, as many of them are now looking for
ways to supplement their income due to the declining stock
market," Durst says.
Spotting a Scam
While identifying a scam seems like it would be easy, you must
remember that the people who create them are practiced con
artists. Many scams are linked to what seem like legitimate Web
sites that have professional photos, testimonials, audio and video
-- all the things that can convince someone that it must be real,
Durst says.
Here are some things to keep in mind when spotting a job scam:
1. Hold tight to your cash.
"No legitimate employer asks you for money. This is a foolproof
tip off that something's not right," Giroir says. "There are a
number of scams that work this way. You deposit your money in
an offshore account and wait for your investment to make you
wealthy, or you purchase a list of high-paying jobs you can do
from home. Whatever the scam is, don't fall for it."
2. Make money while you sleep!
"Beware of ads that make outrageous claims, don't specify job
duties and don't require that you send a résumé. Legitimate
employers are seeking candidates with specific skills, knowledge
and education. Watch for ads, even for entry-level jobs, that use
the phrase 'no experience necessary,' especially when there is a
promise of big money," Giroir says.
3. "Work at home" appears in the header
"'Work from home' is not a job title," Durst warns. "If it appears in
the ad header, there's a good chance it's a come on. Scammers
can rarely resist including it in the header -- it's the bait of their
'hook' as they fish for desperate people to reel in."
4. Miracles arrive in your inbox
"How could this man from Romania have known you were looking
for home-based work? Miracles do happen, but not via SPAM,"
Durst says. "Move [the e-mail] to your trash file without using the
'remove me from this list' link you're likely to find at the bottom of
the page. These links are often used to confirm that your e-mail
address is active and using them can result in even more SPAM."
5. Palm trees, mansions, beaches and bikinis
"Successful scammers often bag their prey by dangling enticing
things in front of them -- much like kidnappers do," Durst says. "'If
you get into my car I'll give you this candy bar...'"
6. Put on your detective hat
There are essentially two ways to get listed with the Better
Business Bureau: Buy a membership or get reported for bad
business practices, Durst says. "While the absence of a
company's name in their listings is not unusual -- not every
business is a paying member of the BBB -- a C, D or F rating and
multiple complaints are a flashing warning signal."
Durst adds that you must be careful about ads that look
legitimate and that contain the name and Web site of well-known
companies but carry a "free" e-mail address for a reply.
"Reputable companies have been victimized by scammers using
their company names and reputations to scam unwitting job
seekers. Always take the time to stop by the company Web site
before responding to a job ad," she suggests. "You may find a
notice warning you of the scam. What you won't find, is a job
listing for someone to accept checks and wire funds to someone."
Too Little, Too Late
Unfortunately, many job seekers still fall victim to job scams,
informed or not. So what happens when you realize that you're
involved in something you probably shouldn't be?
Consequences include identity theft, loss of savings,
unauthorized charges to your credit card or, at worst, a run-in
with the law. At minimum, you lose some money and a little pride,
but consider it a lesson learned, Durst says.
Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer
"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."
If nothing else, this age-old adage might be the most important
piece of advice to remember in your job search, especially in
today's market.
Though job scams are prevalent at any point in time, today's
tough economic times have increased the amount of scammers
looking to take advantage of people desperate to make money
and find a job.
"With the economy sliding, people who might otherwise be
skeptical want to find a silver lining and too often mistake the glitz
and glamour promises of a scammer's ad for their path to
financial security," says Christine Durst, co-founder and CEO of
Staffcentrix, a training and development company that focuses on
home-based work.
Durst says Staffcentrix researchers screen about 5,000 home
jobs leads every week, and there is a "56-to-one scam ratio"
among work-at-home job ads. Any opportunity where you can
"make money fast," "no experience is necessary," or "work in
your pajamas" is appealing to people, so they get thrown into the
scam mix.
Mindy A. Bockstein, chairperson and executive director of the
New York State Consumer Protection Board, agrees that people
are trying to capitalize on the strong desire for work and income
in different populations and communities.
"Don't fall for get-rich-quick schemes, work-at-home scams,
pyramid schemes and numerous other approaches promising
employment and wealth but being used to separate job seekers
from their money," she says.
Who's the Target of Job Scams?
Anyone seeking a better job opportunity or looking to earn some
money -- even smart people -- can get sucked into scams, says
Robin Giroir, regional vice president of Spherion Staffing
Services. With the wide scope of the Internet, every bogus "job"
can reach hundreds of thousands of people, she says.
Durst says victims of work-at-home scams are typically -- and
unfortunately -- those who can least afford to part with their
money. For one particular scam reviewed by Staffcentrix, the
demographics were primarily female, between the ages of 18-49,
with children, less affluent and who did not have a college
education.
"We are also seeing a rise in the number of seniors and retirees
falling prey to these cons, as many of them are now looking for
ways to supplement their income due to the declining stock
market," Durst says.
Spotting a Scam
While identifying a scam seems like it would be easy, you must
remember that the people who create them are practiced con
artists. Many scams are linked to what seem like legitimate Web
sites that have professional photos, testimonials, audio and video
-- all the things that can convince someone that it must be real,
Durst says.
Here are some things to keep in mind when spotting a job scam:
1. Hold tight to your cash.
"No legitimate employer asks you for money. This is a foolproof
tip off that something's not right," Giroir says. "There are a
number of scams that work this way. You deposit your money in
an offshore account and wait for your investment to make you
wealthy, or you purchase a list of high-paying jobs you can do
from home. Whatever the scam is, don't fall for it."
2. Make money while you sleep!
"Beware of ads that make outrageous claims, don't specify job
duties and don't require that you send a résumé. Legitimate
employers are seeking candidates with specific skills, knowledge
and education. Watch for ads, even for entry-level jobs, that use
the phrase 'no experience necessary,' especially when there is a
promise of big money," Giroir says.
3. "Work at home" appears in the header
"'Work from home' is not a job title," Durst warns. "If it appears in
the ad header, there's a good chance it's a come on. Scammers
can rarely resist including it in the header -- it's the bait of their
'hook' as they fish for desperate people to reel in."
4. Miracles arrive in your inbox
"How could this man from Romania have known you were looking
for home-based work? Miracles do happen, but not via SPAM,"
Durst says. "Move [the e-mail] to your trash file without using the
'remove me from this list' link you're likely to find at the bottom of
the page. These links are often used to confirm that your e-mail
address is active and using them can result in even more SPAM."
5. Palm trees, mansions, beaches and bikinis
"Successful scammers often bag their prey by dangling enticing
things in front of them -- much like kidnappers do," Durst says. "'If
you get into my car I'll give you this candy bar...'"
6. Put on your detective hat
There are essentially two ways to get listed with the Better
Business Bureau: Buy a membership or get reported for bad
business practices, Durst says. "While the absence of a
company's name in their listings is not unusual -- not every
business is a paying member of the BBB -- a C, D or F rating and
multiple complaints are a flashing warning signal."
Durst adds that you must be careful about ads that look
legitimate and that contain the name and Web site of well-known
companies but carry a "free" e-mail address for a reply.
"Reputable companies have been victimized by scammers using
their company names and reputations to scam unwitting job
seekers. Always take the time to stop by the company Web site
before responding to a job ad," she suggests. "You may find a
notice warning you of the scam. What you won't find, is a job
listing for someone to accept checks and wire funds to someone."
Too Little, Too Late
Unfortunately, many job seekers still fall victim to job scams,
informed or not. So what happens when you realize that you're
involved in something you probably shouldn't be?
Consequences include identity theft, loss of savings,
unauthorized charges to your credit card or, at worst, a run-in
with the law. At minimum, you lose some money and a little pride,
but consider it a lesson learned, Durst says.
The Game featuring Lil Wayne "My Life"
Da Backwudz-"I Don't Like The Look of It"
Kids Club Celebrates Chenoa Manor's Open House
Public Eye: Artists for Animals' Kids Club visits Chenoa Manor Farm Animal Sanctuary on October 17th, 1-3pm, for their Open House. The day features sanctuary tours, food, beverages, raffle items, youth art for sale, live music, animal enrichment projects, and many children's activities. The youth art exhibit, Welcome to Our World, depicts imagery from children who participated in Chenoa Manor programs. Funds raised benefit Chenoa's animal residents, youth programs, and the renovation of their 200 year-old barn. The Kids Club will meet outside the Sanctuary gate from 12:45-1pm and enter together at 1pm. Participants that arrive after 1pm must pay the ticket fee for the general public. To RSVP with Public Eye for discounted tickets, contact Lisa Levinson at lisa@publiceyephilly.org or 215-620-2130.
Event: Chenoa Manor Open House
Date: October 17th, 2009
Time: 11am until 4pm (Public Eye's Kids Club 1-3pm, meet 12:45-1pm)
Location: 733 Glen Willow Road, Avondale, PA 19311
Ticket Price: $5 child, $25 adult (general public); $5 child, $10 adult (Public Eye's Kids Club participants)
Tickets for general public: www.ChenoaManor.org
Tickets for Public Eye's Kids Club participants: lisa@publiceyephilly.org, 215-620-2130
Info about Public Eye's Kids Club: www.PublicEyePhilly.org
-----Inline Attachment Follows-----
_______________________________________________
Kidsclub mailing list
Kidsclub@publiceyephilly.org
http://lists.publiceyephilly.org/mailman/listinfo/kidsclub
Kids Club Celebrates Chenoa Manor's Open House
Public Eye: Artists for Animals' Kids Club visits Chenoa Manor
Farm Animal Sanctuary on October 17th, 1-3pm, for their Open
House. The day features sanctuary tours, food, beverages, raffle
items, youth art for sale, live music, animal enrichment projects,
and many children's activities. The youth art exhibit, Welcome to
Our World, depicts imagery from children who participated in
Chenoa Manor programs. Funds raised benefit Chenoa's animal
residents, youth programs, and the renovation of their 200
year-old barn. The Kids Club will meet outside the Sanctuary gate
from 12:45-1pm and enter together at 1pm. Participants that
arrive after 1pm must pay the ticket fee for the general public. To
RSVP with Public Eye for discounted tickets, contact Lisa
Levinson at lisa@publiceyephilly.org or 215-620-2130.
Event: Chenoa Manor Open House
Date: October 17th, 2009
Time: 11am until 4pm (Public Eye's Kids Club 1-3pm, meet
12:45-1pm)
Location: 733 Glen Willow Road, Avondale, PA 19311
Ticket Price: $5 child, $25 adult (general public); $5 child, $10
adult (Public Eye's Kids Club participants)
Tickets for general public: www.ChenoaManor.org
Tickets for Public Eye's Kids Club participants:
lisa@publiceyephilly.org, 215-620-2130
Info about Public Eye's Kids Club: www.PublicEyePhilly.org
_______________________________________________
Kidsclub mailing list
Kidsclub@publiceyephilly.org
http://lists.publiceyephilly.org/mailman/listinfo/kidsclub
Public Eye: Artists for Animals' Kids Club visits Chenoa Manor
Farm Animal Sanctuary on October 17th, 1-3pm, for their Open
House. The day features sanctuary tours, food, beverages, raffle
items, youth art for sale, live music, animal enrichment projects,
and many children's activities. The youth art exhibit, Welcome to
Our World, depicts imagery from children who participated in
Chenoa Manor programs. Funds raised benefit Chenoa's animal
residents, youth programs, and the renovation of their 200
year-old barn. The Kids Club will meet outside the Sanctuary gate
from 12:45-1pm and enter together at 1pm. Participants that
arrive after 1pm must pay the ticket fee for the general public. To
RSVP with Public Eye for discounted tickets, contact Lisa
Levinson at lisa@publiceyephilly.org or 215-620-2130.
Event: Chenoa Manor Open House
Date: October 17th, 2009
Time: 11am until 4pm (Public Eye's Kids Club 1-3pm, meet
12:45-1pm)
Location: 733 Glen Willow Road, Avondale, PA 19311
Ticket Price: $5 child, $25 adult (general public); $5 child, $10
adult (Public Eye's Kids Club participants)
Tickets for general public: www.ChenoaManor.org
Tickets for Public Eye's Kids Club participants:
lisa@publiceyephilly.org, 215-620-2130
Info about Public Eye's Kids Club: www.PublicEyePhilly.org
_______________________________________________
Kidsclub mailing list
Kidsclub@publiceyephilly.org
http://lists.publiceyephilly.org/mailman/listinfo/kidsclub
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