Job banks have revolutionized the way we search for jobs. Unfortunately, job banks have also revolutionized the way identity-theft con artists prey on their victims. Identity theft and job fraud are nothing new. But the job-bank revolution allows con artists to victimize more job seekers than ever before.
Most job banks do their best to screen employers and recruiters. But the anonymity of the Internet makes it relatively easy for identity-theft con artists to impersonate employers and recruiters. These fakes post fraudulent job openings in an attempt to loot your personal information, by exploiting your interest in pleasing potential employers.
Identity-theft con artists ask for personal information that has nothing to do with landing a job, but everything to do with stealing your identity and spending your money. For example, it's normal for legit employers and recruiters to ask about your:
1.Mailing address
2.Phone number
3.Education
4.Experience
5.Skills
6.Salary
7.Past and present employers
And other matters and qualifications related to seeking employment. But it's not normal for them to ask for information unrelated to seeking employment. To avoid identity theft, never give out the following right away, to anyone who approaches you through a job bank.
1.Social security number
2.Driver's license number
3.Credit card or bank account numbers
4.Tax forms
5.Any other personal information not directly related to employment, such as your
Birth date or age
6.Gender
7.Hair and eye color
8.Weight and height
9.Marital status and number of children
In fact, it's unwise for U.S. employers to ask for personal information that could be interpreted as discriminatory, such as your age or marital status. But identity-theft con artists could give a hoot about illegal discriminatory implications. They use such information to become you.
An employer will need your social security number (SSN) and other extremely-personal information at some point, as required for tax withholding, activating insurance and other benefits on your behalf, permission to conduct your background and credit check, and to issue you a company credit card if applicable.
But, for legal reasons, a wise employer will seek the required personal information only when highly interested in your qualifications or after hiring you. Until then, an employer has no reason to seek such information. But an identity-theft con artist does.
However, a legit employer might ask for your SSN and certain other personal information on a job application. If the employer asks you to fill out a job application while you're visiting the office for a round of interviews, you'll be able to see that the employer is genuine. So, there's little reason to worry about identity theft in this case.
But, if an employer asks you to send your completed job application before you've visited, double-check the mailing address, phone number, company logo and such, to ensure that they match a real employer. Better yet, ask if you can visit the office to pick up, fill out or turn in your application.
Recruiters might initiate background checks on behalf of the employers for whom they recruit, according to Mitchell Balzer, Vice President of Crescent Solutions. He indicated that a genuine recruiter provides an official authorization form from a verifiable background-check agency, which you'll complete and return to the recruiter's verifiable place of business. He added that the recruiter will offer you the option of receiving a photocopy of the form you completed, to be mailed directly to you by the background-check agency.
In other words, genuine recruiters shouldn't ask for your extremely-personal information, such as your SSN and driver's license number, except as explained above for background checks. Be wary of one who does, as it could be an identity-theft con artist working his or her trade.
Because the laws are different outside of the U.S., some overseas jobs might require information of the type included in curricula vitae, which are typically more detailed than resumes. Still, be extra wary when sending personal information overseas. Many scams, including identity theft, are perpetrated from outside the U.S. Even though overseas employers might require a very detailed curriculum vitae, they shouldn't ask you to include extremely-personal details outside the norm, such as your credit card numbers.
If you think you been victimized by identity theft, consider following the advice of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft site. It also offers an avenue to file a complaint. You may also file a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center, a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center.
Does this mean that you shouldn't post your resume at job banks? Of course not. Job banks are an integral part of job searching these days. If you don't include them, you're probably limiting your chances of landing a job.
But, it does mean that it's a good idea to proceed with caution, as it is when releasing personal information for any reason. Many job banks offer resume privacy options, ensuring that only you may release your personal information to employers and recruiters. It's a good idea to look for these options and use them. For more tips about resume privacy, see Part 3 of "Submitting Your Resume".
source: About.com
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