Tuesday, December 29, 2020

If a Job Seems Too Good To Be True, It Is Probably Fraud

Some days won't end ever and some days pass on by
I'll be working here forever, at least until I die
Damned if you do, damned if you don't
I'm supposed to get a raise next week, you know damn well I won't
Workin' for a livin'
(Workin')
Workin' for a livin'
(Workin')
Workin' for a livin', livin' and workin'
I'm taking what they're giving 'cause I'm workin' for a livin'

~Workin' for a Livin'
Huey Lewis and the News

I've been looking for a job for longer than I care to admit. The COVID-19 pandemic has put many of us in this same boat. Unfortunately, this has made a ripe breeding ground for scammers. A friend of mine, who wasn't even looking for a job, recently encountered a job scam that was very very thorough. She was contacted by email (by a company she was familiar with) and told to call "H.R." for an interview. 

Initially, it seemed legitimate. However, during the interview, she was told that she would have to buy certain equipment. Somehow, the conversation worked its way around to her transferring money to them for the equipment she would need (to be reimbursed by check later). When she couldn't transfer money to them, they suggested cash and gift cards. By this time red flags were flying. She concluded by telling them she knew this was a scam and disconnected. She was thankful not to lose money, but she was annoyed about the time wasted on this nonexistant "opportunity."

According to the Better Business Bureau, job scammers often use real company names and can be very convincing. The goal of the scammer may be to get your personal information, such as social security number, mother's maiden name, bank account number or credit card information. Such information is necessary, they say, to run a credit check or set up direct deposit. Or, the  scammer may want money. To get money, the "company" may charge you a fee for "training," or "accidentally" overpay you with a fake check and ask you to deposit the check and wire back the difference, or they may tell you that you need to buy expensive equipment and supplies to work at home. So, how do you avoid being the target of a scam?

If you receive an email touting an enticing job, look for the following:

* The email has obvious grammatical or spelling errors. Sometimes, they might not even use the correct name in the salutation (e.g., they call you "Susan" when your name is "Nancy").

* The “company” has an email domain from gmail, yahoo, hotmail, or outlook (note that even though businesses use outlook, they usually have their own domain in the web address, not "outlook.com"). Legitimate hiring managers do not use personal email addresses.

* Speaking of domain names, scammers occasionally use a fake company domain name. If the email comes from a company domain, check that it matches the actual company domain. In other words, if you get an email from "john.smith@famouscompany.com," check that the company's website really is "famouscompany.com." 

* Another email scam technique is "spoofing," where you receive an email containing a link to a posting that appears to come from a legitimate job search site, but the site is fraudulent.

* Beware also of unsolicited job posting email messages with a job site logo that said they found you because your resume, CV, or portfolio is posted on a job site. If you've never posted there, then obviously the email is fake. However, even if you have posted, you should proceed with caution.

* Do you have multiple email addresses with one dedicated to professional communication? Did the email come to that address? If it's not your professional address, then chances are the email was sent to random email addresses and is a scam.

* Is the company online? Try searching "company name" + "scam." You can also check out the company with the Better Business Bureau.

Proceed with caution

* Be wary of work-from-home, package reshipment, payment processing, and secret shopper positions; even a "job" with a generic title such as caregiver, administrative assistant, or customer service rep may not be on the up-and-up.

* If the job posting is for a well-known brand, check the real company's job page to see if the position is posted there. The company my friend thought she was dealing with actually has a notice on their website--

How to recognize scammers?

We never ask you to pay for any software or equipment.

We never send emails from free public domains, like Gmail.

This was exactly what my friend encountered. 

* If the job comes up in other cities with the exact same post, it’s likely a scam.

* If you can’t verify a phone number, location, web address, or employees, you’re looking at a scam. Real companies will have an online presence and/or some social media engagement—if they don’t have a decent following, they may not be legitimate.

Money, money, money

* A legitimate employer will never ask you to transfer money or pay to get hired. If the company asks you to forward or wire money, STOP ALL COMMUNICATION IMMEDIATELY!!

* You shouldn't have to pay to get a job, so if an employer requires an upfront payment or "investment," you should take a pass on the "opportunity."

* Be careful if a company promises you great opportunities or a big income under the condition that you pay for coaching, training, certifications or directories.

* NEVER deposit unexpected or fishy checks. 

* Similarly, do not fall for an overpayment scam; no legitimate job would ever overpay an employee and ask for money to be wired somewhere else.

* If the contact offers to put you in touch with "unpublicized government jobs" for a fee, it's a scam. Government agencies post all jobs publicly and freely. Whether federal or state, United States or Canada, you would never be asked to pay to obtain government listings.

* Be wary of any offer to give you special access or guarantee you a job for a fee – if you are paying for the promise of a job, you can assume it's a scam.

* NEVER give out highly personal or financial information (especially social security number, mother's maiden name, credit card or bank account information). 

* NEVER respond to job offers that ask you to wire money, cash checks, submit your credit card information, pay for a credit report, or do any other transactions that require a fee to get hired.

Communication is key

* If you are approached to communicate through chat, request they give you a call instead, and do your research before the interview to see if the results raise any concerns. 

* Phishing scams often look like they come from a trusted and well-known company, so always reach out to an employer directly through their legitimate website rather than respond to any “phish-y” looking communication.

* Be very careful if you’re offered a job without a recruiter verifying your work experience or asking for references.

* Pay attention to the job description. Is it vague? It's probably a scam.

* The same applies to information about the company. If you're not getting answers to your questions, that's a red flag, especially if the "employer" is unwilling to share specific details.

* Watch out for on-the-spot job offers. You may be an excellent candidate for the job, but beware of offers made without an interview. A real company will want to talk to a candidate before hiring. That's not to say that being offered a job during an interview is always a scam -- I've been hired during interviews. However, even if the job is offered during the interview, the employer should give you time to make your decision. That brings us to our next point--

Don't rush me!

* Any legitimate company won’t push you into accepting a job offer immediately. If there is a sense of urgency, or the recruiter is pushing you to accept the job now, you need to pump the brakes!

* Any sort of pressure to sign or onboard is a red flag. Legitimate companies will understand that employment choices are big decisions and will give you time to consider the offer. 

Look closely

* In addition to checking grammar and spelling, check the appearance of the email or job posting. If there is a logo in the email or posting, check if it looks professional and matches the company's logo online. 

* Research the company. Do a quick online search. Does the company have a website and presence online? Try searching for the company on the Better Business Bureau website by searching the company name along with the word "scam."

* Be skeptical if the job has flexible hours or the opportunity to work from home. Not all remote work jobs are scams (especially with the current pandemic), but some of them are. 

* Gauge the salary. If the rate seems far higher than what you'd expect for the role, you should take a step back and figure out why.

If you think you're the target of a scam

* Disconnect and stop all communication! 

* Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the Better Business Bureau. You want this investigated and the scammers stopped from doing this to anyone else.

If you think the job is legit

If you decide the offer seems legit, and do reply to an email, be careful about the information you share. NEVER share financial information or pay the company until you're sure that you're dealing with a reputable company. 

Get all details and contracts in writing. You should be given time to read the contract and ask questions about anything that you don't understand or want to change. The contract should be accompanied by a "Description of Work" (this is often an addendum to the contract). If you're concerned about any provision, you may want to contact a lawyer. 

Remember: If the job seems too good to be true, it probably is!

I know this is a long post, but I really only gave a quick overview. Other resources to check out:

BBB Tip: Employment Scams

Flex Jobs: 14 Common Job Search Scams and How to Protect Yourself

FTC How to Avoid a Scam

FTC Job Scams

Zip Recruiter: How to Avoid Job Scams

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Veteran's Day or Armistice Day? Either way, we celebrate our military

I'm an American soldier
An American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand

When liberty's in jeopardy
I will always do what's right
I'm out here on the front lines
Sleep in peace tonight
American soldier
I'm an American soldier

Yeah, an American soldier
An American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand

                        ~American Soldier
                        Toby Keith 

On November 1, 1980, WKRP in Cincinnati aired an episode titled, "The Airplane Show." In this episode, the station's news reporter, Les Nessman, wants a traffic helicopter, but settles for a 1934 Waco UMF biplane flown by Buddy, a veteran turned crop duster. Although Les is told that he is not to go up in the plane, he defies the orders of Mr. Carlson, the station manager, to go up in the plane on Veteran's Day. Seeing that people aren't observing Veteran's Day in any meaningful way, Buddy tells Les that he's going to keep flying until either they run out of gas or until there is a parade in honor of Veterans. The other WKRP employees organize a simultaneous show of respect by getting everyone in Cincinnati to honk their horns at a specific time. This appeases the pilot, he lands safely, and Les's life is saved.

Throughout the show, there is an underlying question of whether it is "Veterans Day" or "Armistice Day."

Armistice Day and Veterans Day 

World War I was known at the time as “The Great War” (it makes sense--they didn't know there would be another world war just three decades later). It was also thought to be the "war to end all wars." The Great War officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. The armistice, a temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect about on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. 

Armistice Day was established to commemorate the end of the fighting in World War I. Thus,  President Woodrow Wilson declared Armistice Day for November 11, 1919:

To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.

  • On November 11, 1921, the first unidentified American solder in war was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. 
  • On November 11, 1938, Armistice Day became a legal federal holiday.
Of course, it was not "the war to end all wars," and it was followed by World War II and the Korean War. To honor all members of the armed services, whether they served in war or peace time, Armistice Day became Veterans Day. In 1954, Congress amended the 1938 declaration that made Armistice Day a holiday, changing it to Veterans Day, with President Dwight D. Eisenhower signing it into law on June 1, 1954. 

Fourth Monday in October

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Bill, trying to encourage tourism from federal employees by giving them three-day weekends. The holidays that were shifted to Mondays were Washington's Birthday (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Columbus Day (second Monday in October) and Veteran's Day (fourth Monday in October). 

The first Veterans Day to fall under the new law was observed on Monday, October 25, 1971. That was my eighth birthday, and I remember that it was a school holiday. The other time Veterans Day was on my birthday was in 1976. I think we might have had a school holiday that year, too. Many states did not approve of the change, and there was a lot of confusion, since most states continued to observe Veterans Day on the regular date of November 11.

In 1975, President Ford signed a new law returning the official observation of Veterans Day back to November 11, starting in 1978. Honoring veterans on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month was historically and patriotically significant to Americans. If Veterans Day or November 11 falls on Saturday or Sunday, the Veterans Day will be observed on the previous Friday or following Monday.  

Veterans Day 2020

There aren't as many parades this year, or if there are, they will be parades of cars. We're socially distancing, but Veteran's Day is being observed. Both the President and the President-Elect participated in ceremonies honoring veterans. With so many students engaging in remote learning, a day off of school may not mean as much, and banks and government offices were closed.

 

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Independence Day and Fireworks



And though some people tried to fight it
Well, a committee was formed to write it:
Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston 
John Adams, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson
They got it done (Oh yes they did!)
The Declaration, uh-huh-huh
The Declaration of Independence (Oh yeah!)
In seventeen hundred seventy six (Right on!)
The Continental Congress said that we were free (We're free!)
Said we had the right of life and liberty
...And the pursuit of happiness!

Schoolhouse Rock



One of my favorite holidays is Independence Day, aka "The Fourth of July." A few years ago, I wrote about this summer holiday. To see that post, click here: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Now that you're up to speed on how we came to celebrate the Fourth of July (despite John Adams' belief that the celebration should have been on July 2nd), let's look at some of the members of the Continental Congress:

  • There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. 
  • Almost one-half of the signers (25) were lawyers.
  • There were five delegates on the drafting committee--Benjamin Franklin, John Adams,
  • Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. Jefferson was the primary writer, and it took him 17 days to write the Declaration. 
  • Although Robert Livingston, who represented New York, was on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence, he was recalled by his state before he could sign the document. 
  • Seven of the signers were 60 or older.
  • The oldest signer was Benjamin Franklin (age 70), who represented Pennsylvania.
  • Thirteen of the signers were 35 or younger.
  • The youngest signer was Edward Rutledge (age 26), a lawyer from South Carolina.
  • Two future U.S. Presidents signed the Declaration--John Adams (the second president) and Thomas Jefferson (the third president). Ironically, both died on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1826).
  • John Hancock was president of the Continental Congress when independence was declared. His signature is the largest on the Declaration of Independence.
  • The state with the fewest signers was Rhode Island with just two--Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery.
  • Pennsylvania had nine signers, the most of any state.
  • Charles Carroll, who represented Maryland, was the last surviving signer of the Declaration.
  • He died in 1832 at the age of 95. 
For more stats on the Declaration, see Facts for Features Fourth of July.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first newspaper to print the Declaration on July 6, 1776.

On July 4, 1778, George Washington helped U.S. troops celebrate by allowing them a double ration of rum.

In 1781, Massachusetts became the first state to make July 4th a state holiday.

The oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration began in 1785 in Bristol, Rhode Island.

On July 4, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson publicly announced the completion of the Louisiana Purchase, which cost $15 million and doubled the size of the United States.

The first Fourth of July celebration west of the Mississippi took place on July 4, 1804. Lewis and Clark’s expedition drank whiskey, fired a cannon, and named a creek in what is now Kansas as Independence Creek.

Descendants of people who signed the Declaration of Independence tap the Liberty Bell, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 13 times at 2 p.m. eastern time every 4th of July to honor the 13 original states.

Check out this poster with more information on the holiday: 4th of July By the Numbers

Fireworks

The very first 4th of July fireworks show took place in Philadelphia in 1777. Fireworks, canons, and bells all went off to honor the 13 original states. They also had a dinner and a parade to celebrate.

Americans spend over $1 billion on fireworks every year, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association, and the numbers continue to go up every year. The biggest celebration is the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks show, which takes over 8,000 hours to prepare.

For information on what individual states allow, see the American Pyrotechnics Association's Directory of State Laws.

Sunday, June 24, 2018

You Don't Need a Library Card for These Libraries


Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham,
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lotta people,
but it seems the good die young
But I just looked around and he's gone.
Has anybody here seen my old friend John,
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lotta people,
but it seems the good die young
But I just looked around and he's gone.




As a teenager in Springfield, Illinois, I spent many hours at the Lincoln Library--it was the public library, which was located next to my dad's office in the Municipal Building. So, when I heard that the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum was being built in my hometown, I was a little confused. Were they building a new public library? No. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum would document the life of President Abraham Lincoln. Springfield's public library is still called Lincoln Library.

Abe is not the only U.S. President to have a library dedicated to him. In fact, out of 44 past Presidents, 26 have libraries, with another in the works. Every President from Herbert Hoover to George W. Bush has a Presidential Library administered by the Office of Presidential Libraries, which is a part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). President Obama's library will be handled a little differently (more about that later).

Like Abraham Lincoln, Presidents who preceded Herbert Hoover do not have Presidential Libraries administered by the NARA. Lincoln is one of 13 Presidents (see table below) who have libraries that are not sanctioned and maintained by the NARA. Some are managed by private foundations. Some are managed by state governments. For the first father-son combination of Presidents, John Adams and John Quincy Adams, the library is part of the the National Park Service at Adams National Historical Park.

Whether under the purview of NARA or not, these are not traditional libraries. They are repositories for preserving and making accessible the papers, records, and other historical materials of U.S. Presidents. The museum portion of a Presidential Library is open to the general public, and provides a way for everyone to learn more about a particular President.

If you're traveling this summer, you might want to check out one or more of the Presidential Libraries and Museums listed below. I highly recommend the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois.

The Presidential Library System (Hoover to present)

Before the advent of the Presidential Library system, Presidents or their heirs often dispersed Presidential papers at the end of the administration. Though many pre-Hoover collections now reside in the Library of Congress, others are split among other libraries, historical societies, and private collections. Unfortunately, many materials have been lost or deliberately destroyed.

The Presidential Library system formally began in 1939, when President Franklin Roosevelt donated his personal and Presidential papers to the Federal Government. At the same time, Roosevelt pledged part of his estate at Hyde Park to the United States, and friends of the President formed a nonprofit corporation to raise funds for the construction of the library and museum building. 

Roosevelt's decision stemmed from a belief that Presidential papers are an important part of the national heritage and should be accessible to the public. He asked the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to take custody of his papers and other historical materials and to administer his library.

In 1950, Harry S. Truman decided that he also would build a library to house his Presidential papers and helped to spur congressional action. In 1955, Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act, establishing a system of privately erected and federally maintained libraries. The Act encouraged other Presidents to donate their historical materials to the government and ensured the preservation of Presidential papers and their availability to the American people.

Until 1978, Presidents, scholars, and legal professionals believed that the records created by the President or his staff while in office remained the personal property of the President and were his to take with him when he left office. The first Presidential libraries were built on this concept. NARA successfully persuaded Presidents to donate their historical materials to the Government for housing in a Presidential library managed by NARA.

The Presidential Records Act of 1978 established that the Presidential records that document the constitutional, statutory, and ceremonial duties of the President are the property of the United States Government. After the President leaves office, the Archivist of the United States assumes custody of the records. The Act allowed for the continuation of Presidential Libraries as the repository for Presidential records.

The Presidential Libraries Act of 1986 also made significant changes to Presidential libraries, requiring private endowments linked to the size of the facility. NARA uses these endowments to offset a portion of the maintenance costs for the library.

For more information on the Presidential Libraries System, see Frequently Asked Questions.

When a President Leaves Office

For the Presidents through President George W. Bush, new libraries followed the model of the Roosevelt Library. The libraries are constructed with private and other non-federal funds. A private, nonprofit organization is formed to coordinate fundraising and construction of the library-museum and to provide support for programs. Meanwhile, NARA establishes a Presidential project until a new Presidential Library is built. Once completed, the private organization turned over the libraries to the NARA to operate and maintain.

The Obama Library

The Obama library will follow a different model. NARA will not administer a museum or a traditional "Presidential Library" building. Instead records from Barack Obama's presidency will be digitized to the greatest extent possible, making Presidential records available to researchers regardless of location. NARA will still be responsible for the records and storing the original documents, but the new facility in Chicago will be run by the Obama Foundation and The University of Chicago. The Obama Presidential Center will be a privately operated, non-federal organization located in Jackson Park on the South Side of Chicago. 

Presidential Library Locations

No.
President
Library Name and Operator
Location
1
George Washington
Mount Vernon, Virginia
2
John Adams
Quincy, Massachusetts
3
Thomas Jefferson
Charlottesville, Virginia
5
James Monroe
Fredericksburg, Virginia
6
John Quincy Adams
Quincy, Massachusetts
16
Abraham Lincoln
Springfield, Illinois
17
Andrew Johnson
Tusculum, Tennessee
18
Ulysses S. Grant
Starkville, Mississippi
19
Rutherford B. Hayes
Fremont, Ohio
20
James Garfield
Mentor, Ohio
25
William McKinley
Canton, Ohio
28
Woodrow Wilson
Staunton, Virginia
30
Calvin Collidge
Northhampton, Massachusetts
31
Herbert Hoover
West Branch, Iowa
32
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Hyde Park, New York
33
Harry S. Truman
Independence, Missouri
34
Dwight Eisenhower
Abilene, Kansas
35
John F. Kennedy
Boston, Massachusetts
36
Lyndon B. Johnson
Austin, Texas
37
Richard M. Nixon
Yorba Linda, California
38
Gerald Ford
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
39
Jimmy Carter
Atlanta, Georgia
40
Ronald Reagan
Simi Valley, California
41
George H.W. Bush
College Station, Texas
42
Bill Clinton
Little Rock, Arkansas
43
George W. Bush
Dallas, Texas
44
Barack Obama
Chicago, Illinois