Job Scam...figures...

Well, I've been stressing over finding a job, as you all may know, and found one that was a "work from home" data entry job. Pfft. Yeah, that set off all kinds of red flags, but doesn't mean that there isn't a chance that it's real..so I jumped through their hoops.

Well, I went through an online interview..sorta..got a bunch of questions in an email and had to respond to them and send them back, had a couple "test" questions I had to go through which appeared to be testing my math ability and ability to follow directions..which I guess I "passed". *insert eye roll* I was told I would receive a training packet and offer letter via USPS and in it I would be told what materials I needed to be able to to do my job.

After my "test" questions, I was told I would receive a check to purchase the materials I would need to do my job. BIG RED FLAG!! Still, I was hopeful that it would be for real..though the doubt was overwhelming now. I figured can't hurt to see where this goes. This was two days ago. Yesterday, I received a "Cashier's Check" for $3,850. Yeah..like I'm gonna run for that. Let's start with a few discrepancies....

1) The phone number on the check and the bank address did not match up by state even
2) The sender(as I received this via FedEx) was in Illinois, which wasn't either the state the bank address was in or the phone number was from
3) The amount of the check was quite a bit..seemed a bit odd to begin with
4) The watermark on the back of the check that reads "Original Document" appeared to have been placed there with a stamper. I could see the edges of where the stamper had been pressed into the ink pad.

I called the bank and the woman was less than helpful, but said I should take the check to a bank and have them process it. I'm not about to let myself get burned for that much money when I can't even afford to pay the rest of this month's(April) rent, let alone next month's. So I looked up online how to NOT get caught up if it is a fake check..the site I read said to take it to the bank, have them put a 21 day hold on it(I'm assuming that's how long it takes for the bank to receive the check back if it's a fake) and go from there.

So I got online with this clown, as the only communication I've had is through yahoo IMs and emails(another red flag), and told him that there would be a 21 day hold on the check. He asked by who and I told him the bank. He came back with going to a check cashing place...means I'm still liable. Ok, time to take another route...

I called the FTC(Federal Trade Commission) and asked the woman there what I should do..she said by the sound of it, I would receive this list of supplies to buy and be expected to send the remaining balance back via wire transfer..she took a report and we were, more or less, done. I have not contacted this individual since, however, am more than willing to share the information I received with all of you so that you will not get caught up in such a scam. My mother always said, "if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is." That was certainly the case here.

The job listing was for Data Entry. The contact person used the name "Dr Robert Miller" from a Yahoo IM/Email of interviewdesk2010@yahoo.com and the email I got a response from when sending in my resume and cover letter to was cjobs@digitalrivers-inc.com. Supposedly, the company I was going to work for was County Systems, Inc. ( http://countysyst.com/ ). I have not contacted this company yet and, upon further review of their rather mediocre site, realize that while it says that they are based in Washington, DC..it isn't a DC phone number..I'll probably not be calling them as I am sure that this site was set up as part of the scam. Maybe I should go to the address on the site and check it out in person. lol

With all the red flags that are being waved around with this one, it looks like a hurricane warning!

HELP!! Job Hunting!!!

As I put in my first posting on here, I've been searching for work for nearly 3 years. I'm putting out my resume, I'm calling places in hope of something being available to bring in an income. I am trying, folks..not like I'm just sitting here hoping that people will just hand me money..though it would be nice to have some money.

I live in the Washington, DC metro area. I've done all types of work and am willing to do nearly anything. I only want to be able to pay my bills, have money for food...and I certainly could use some new clothes. Been awhile since I got clothes.

I've sent out at least 7 resumes today and so far, not a single response. I'm putting in for a pizza delivery job and all I have is a scooter. Hire me, please. I need a job badly and only need the money to survive on. If anyone might be interested in hiring someone who's willing to work long hours(I've had a few 24hr shifts under my belt) for what most, particularly in this area, would consider low pay..please...email me.

job.hunter.cr@gmail.com
Please realize, I am limited in my mobility with a scooter, which can only go on roads up to 35mph, and am otherwise relying on public transportation.

A plea for generosity...

I know I haven't posted in a couple days...life happens. Today has been an exceptionally hard one, at least now it has. I just got off the phone with a dear friend who called me in tears. I want to do something for her, but, as you have likely noticed, I'm not really in a position to help myself, let alone her...so now I appeal to the kind nature of those that may read this in hopes of being able to do for another what I can not.

This is the most self-less person I know. She will do for others before ever considering herself...even if it means she does without. She, like myself, has been out of work for a couple years and has barely gotten ends to meet, some things going by the wayside until she can secure help in a financial means.

She has been stressed and the pressure of everything is weighing heavily upon her. I would LOVE to be able to help her to take a vacation and not have to worry about bills and rent for a month so that her and her teenage son can take a much needed vacation. Were I able to do this, I would have already done so, but, unfortunately, I can not. I have changed all the links for donations to go to her paypal account so that anything that may come in will go to her to try and help her get some relief and I beg for your help in making this possible.

I know this may sound like a sob story simply to get people to send me money, but the money is NOT for me. I will survive and do what I can to get by, however, she is desperately in need of being able to relax and breathe without worrying constantly about everything. Please, anything helps, even if it is just a few dollars. I haven't told her I'm doing this, so it will be a surprise to her. I know I am asking a lot of people that don't know me and, quite possibly, don't trust me, to give up their hard earned money, but I do not ask this for myself..while you may not believe that, I ask that you dig down deep and ask yourself if you would like someone to do for you were you in her situation.

And we wonder why insurance premiums are so high...

Cigna Gives $110.9 Million Compensation Package To Ex-CEO
by: Sam Stein

The insurance giant Cigna last year gave compensation packages worth more than $120 million to two executives who left the company, according to a filing with the SEC on Friday.

The vast majority of that total went to former chairman and CEO H. Edward Hanway who left his post with a retirement package worth $110.9 million -- which included $18.8 million in executive compensation for 2009, as well as a healthy pension plan, deferred compensation and stock options.
Full article at huffingtonpost.com

Umm...wow. People, myself included, can't afford health insurance and everyone searching for cheaper methods of getting such and then we find this. What are we supposed to say? In my opinion, no one person should need that much money.

In 2009, H. Edward Hanway received $10.27 million in total compensation(I know, two separate numbers..I just follow the articles) and a 5 year total of $121.35 million according to Forbes. So why does this man need another $110 million to retire? Why not take that money and give insurance to those that can't afford it? Or at least lower premiums.

I know, I love the figure of 10%, but with 10% of his retirement, I could live the rest of my life, or least close to it, very comfortably. I am sure that there are many others that could so as well. I am very curious what he needs all that money for besides to live excessively. No one needs that much money, in my personal opinion. I can't even imagine what to do with $110 million. Well, I'm sure I could come up with some things, but still.
By all means, if you have anything to add to this, or wish to comment yourself, please post. If there is something you wish to see posted here, or something you would like to hear my views on, again, feel free to post the subject and I'll look into it and you may just see it here tomorrow.

How very refreshing!!

Google CEO's compensation for 2009 falls 52 pct

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
The Associated Press
Monday, March 29, 2010; 11:29 PM

By Schmidt's request, Google limited his salary to just $1 for the fifth consecutive year. Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin also have insisted on keeping their salaries at $1 apiece during the same period, despite the company's repeated offers to pay them more.
Full Article by The Associated Press at washingtonpost.com

I was simply looking around and came upon this article! It is very refreshing to see a company officer take such a cut in his/her own pay simply because they do not truly need it. This helps my faith in man-kind as opposed to everyone being a bunch of greedy buggers. I know, I know...not everyone is greedy, but let's face the reality of it...there are far more greedy people than generous people.

Not really a whole lot to say with this post, but just feel that it was definitely worth sharing and was very refreshing to come across after article upon article of people making exorbitant amounts of money and then, for some ungodly reason, acting as though it's not enough. My hat is off to you three who would take only $1 as your salary!!

By all means, if you have anything to add to this, or wish to comment yourself, please post. If there is something you wish to see posted here, or something you would like to hear my views on, again, feel free to post the subject and I'll look into it and you may just see it here tomorrow.

$10k Lunch?!?!?

I was going to do a post today about the former AT&T Chairman and his insane amount of earnings, however, I found an article that I think is a bit more of an eye opener..

On Thursday, March 25, 2010, the Politico newspaper(a free paper in the Washington DC area) had an article about Sen. Bob Corker(R-Tenn) and his free time over the Easter recess.

Corker Pitch: $10k Meal, $5k Meeting
By Eamon Javers
Sen. Bob Corker's Reelection campaign offered donors a chance to have a meal with the Tennessee Republican for $10,000, or attend "small meetings" with him for $5,000, during his visits to New York and Chicago next month.
Full Article at politico.com

So let me get this straight, contributors who are giving this man hundreds of thousands of dollars so that he can again run for a seat on the US Senate have to pay yet more money if they actually want to meet the man, have a meal with him and/or attend a small meeting..not even have one of their own, but attend one?

Meanwhile, this man is earning approximately $174,000 a year(source: usgovinfo.about.com). Anyone want to have lunch with me for $100? I can hold a meeting for $50 per person. Perhaps it is just me, but I would think that is a bit more than excessive. I realize that it is not cheap to run for a government position of this magnitude, but if I've already shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to help someone "win" a position such as this, you better believe that I expect to have lunch or a meeting with said person.

Yes, I know, not everyone contributes so much to their chosen representatives, though the same people that can't afford to donate as much certainly won't be able to afford this lunch or meeting price. So figuring he has at least 10 people go to lunch with him between New York and Chicago, that's $100,000...again, can I get 10%? :-P

By all means, if you have anything to add to this, or wish to comment yourself, please post. If there is something you wish to see posted here, or something you would like to hear my views on, again, feel free to post the subject and I'll look into it and you may just see it here tomorrow.

Weddings...

I was talking with a friend of mine and she was telling me about this wedding show she was watching, I don't recall off hand which show it was. In this show, these people are spending millions of dollars on weddings.

In discussing it further, I got an idea of what cost values were being spent on these unappreciative women. $20k catering, $30k wedding cake, $15k dress and even about $10k or so for the table layouts. Tens of thousands in flowers..I mean, I know it is supposed to be a once in a lifetime event, but then, to boot, the bride-to-be was perpetually complaining about anything and everything..and, to be frank, with the divorce rate as it is, is it really worth it to spend so much on a wedding?

We joked about what type of wedding we could afford...5 guests(4 parents and a witness) all invited to McDonald's, the meal coming off the dollar menu, Ronald McDonald performing the ceremony, a sundae in place of a cake...everyone gets a few bites...eaten with a plastic spork. I know, I know...we're being a little extreme, but was a funny conversation none-the-less.

With these people capable of spending so much money on such an event, while I understand the reasoning behind such, the unappreciative nature of those it is for makes me feel sorry for those that are funding it. Maybe because I've never been through such an ordeal, I don't understand the full nature of it, though I would think that those that are receiving this extravagant gift, as best put, should be more thankful for the efforts and funding put into such an endeavor.

By all means, if you have anything to add to this, or wish to comment yourself, please post. If there is something you wish to see posted here, or something you would like to hear my views on, again, feel free to post the subject and I'll look into it and you may just see it here tomorrow.

Broke MoFo Fund

Hi all...was joking around with a few people about this and they all said, "go for it...what do you have to lose?" So here I am...

A little background on me. I am in my early 30's and consider myself a jack of all trades at this point. I've done all kinds of work from fast food(McDonald's, Burger King, etc) to being a Litigation Support Project Manager in Digital Imaging. Maybe I'll go into greater detail of that if someone might be interested in hiring me(hehehe).

Until I was nearly 13 years old, my mother and I shared a one bedroom apartment in Washington DC. I received hand-me-down clothes, or those from second hand shops(not that I see a difference in the two), wasn't necessarily spoiled, but did have to earn anything I did get. I never had an allowance, but would receive various 'gifts', whether it be money or toys, for achievements and such. At 10 years old, two of my friends and myself decided to start washing cars throughout the spring and summer to attempt to have money for us to get the things that we wanted. We ended up with business cards and nearly all our own supplies. Of course, we didn't lug a hose around, but you get the idea. The business cards were a gift from my mother for how diligently we worked at it(I think I even still have a few of them around somewhere). In essence, we had our own company, though not registered.

In high school, I started out working handing out flyers for a new restaurant, again, so I would have money to spend to go out with friends, dates, etc. Once I was 15, I was able to become a lifeguard. Loved the job. Would be nice to be in shape like that again. -chuckles- After high school, I ended up traveling the country to try and find where I 'belong'.

I am starting to believe life is somewhat circular as I've since ended up back in the Washington DC area.

What is this blog about? Alright, I'll do my best to explain. I have been out of work for over two years...approaching three years as I am thinking about it...and not for lack of trying. Perhaps I have not been as diligent in my searches as I could have been, but after awhile, I've become frustrated and somewhat depressed on turn down after turn down(or so I've been told). It is a constant struggle to maintain residence as well as simply surviving...

Meanwhile, they have television show after television show of people spending ridiculous amounts of money, CEO's and other corporate officers making millions upon millions of dollars simply for retiring, whether by choice or forced into such, people driving cars that are hundreds of thousands of dollars, others(or perhaps the same people) spending insane amounts of money on a single supper that would not only pay my rent, however, feed and clothe me for months, vacations that cost enough to feed the homeless of a city for a month as well as fund shelters for them to live in(I've been on that 'train' too).

Let me give you an example of this. About a week ago, a close friend and I stopped at a Walgreens to get a soda(was rather hot out) and as we neared the door, parked in the handicap space was a really really nice Mercedes CL63 AMG(I think it was..pic was what was closest to what I remember of the car) which I have since looked up to find that the base price on this car is $97k. $97K?!?!? Give me 10% of that and I can pay my current rent for a year and probably damn near feed myself for that long to boot.

Yes, I guess I'd like for people to 'donate' some of these ridiculous amounts of money that they spend, but do I think it will happen? Not bloody likely. I'm going to do my best to keep posting more and more examples of these extravagant wastes of money, or at least wastes in my views, and perhaps some people will find it amusing enough, at least, to donate something to my little "Broke MoFo Fund". ;-)

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