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Hernando Today

Preying On The Faithful

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By KYLE MARTIN

Hernando Today

Published: March 26, 2009

SPRING HILL - James Paino is not stupid.

Nor does he consider himself particularly gullible.

But sometimes circumstances trump common sense.

Two months ago Paino, 50, found himself out of work for the first time in 25 years. A precarious "paycheck to paycheck" existence collapsed under the weight of bills. Paino began picking up pennies and dimes wherever he went.

Then a letter came in the mail informing him his Spring Hill home was going into foreclosure. His landlord wasn't paying the mortgage, Paino said, and now he and his family faced eviction.

To cap it off, his daughter was struck in the face with a softball while playing on her middle school team. The crushing blow was severe enough to require surgery.

A deep-seated faith kept the Painos buoyant in these trying times. They prayed every night not for money or a handout, but simply for God's direction.

What they received only made them feel more lost.

Paino and his wife, Katherine, recently saw a TV news report concerning Craigslist, an online flea market of sorts. The report centered on the success stories of people who used the Web site to find a job and connect with donors of clothes and other essentials.

Paino decided to swallow his pride and give it a shot.

He quickly got a response from a Rev. Roy Benson, who e-mailed Paino to say his church would take up a collection to help his family. The e-mail was written in slightly stilted English and Paino was a bit skeptical at first.

Paino gave him a home phone number and felt more confident after speaking with Benson. If it had been anyone else, Paino would have kept up his guard and probably refused the offer. But he was convinced that Benson was a man of God.

"He used all the right catch words," Paino recalled Wednesday in an interview.

The check was mailed overnight from New York for $3,850. Paino was floored. His family cried. For all the trials and hardships, here was vindication that God kept his promises and cared for his own.

At the time, Paino said, "it resumed my faith in the goodness of man."

His instructions were to cash the check, keep $700 and wire the rest to other members of the congregation. Paino still believed everything was legitimate. In his mind, this was a test of his honesty.

However, when he took the check to the bank, he was informed the account was no good. Paino likens the shock to a blindside blow to the head with a baseball bat. Numb, Paino went home to deliver the bad news.

The Painos' faith was deeply shaken - but not gone. While they aren't out any money, anyone else who fell for the scam would likely have to pay for the money lost to a bogus check. They want to spread a warning to keep others from becoming victims.

If nothing else, "they don't need this emotional roller coaster," Paino said.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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