Job searching is already a frustrating process. Between the stress of
unemployment and the sting of rejections, job hunting for any length of time
can make you desperate. Unfortunately, that's exactly what identity thieves are
counting on.
Many con artists are relying on a sophisticated new scam by trolling for job
seekers on job boards like Monster or Indeed. They reach out to job seekers by
pretending to represent a major company that has a supposed interest in the job
seeker's credentials and/or experience. They claim they need a few more pieces
of information to conduct a background check before hiring. They'll ask for
personal information, such as a Social Security number. Then, they'll take you
for everything you've got.
Or, they set up fake job postings on sites like Craigslist or LinkedIn and wait
for job seekers to contact them. This practice provides them with a steady
stream of desperate and vulnerable applicants. It also saves them the trouble
of tracking down e-mail addresses, and makes the contact seem more legitimate.
These schemes work, like most other identity theft scams, by preying on
people's hopes. You need this job offer to be true, so you are willing to rush
into the "opportunity" without waiting, thinking, or researching. It
only takes one slip to wipe out your savings and ruin your credit, which can
also undermine your future job search efforts.
You can't give up your job search, and you wouldn't want to refuse a reasonable
request from a legitimate employer. So what can you do to keep yourself safe
from identity thieves when looking for work? Follow these pieces of advice,
which you can remember using the acronym KISS:
1.)
Know the hiring process. For most
businesses, the hiring process includes job posting, interview, background
check, job offer. Background checks cost money to run. No business is going to
start running background checks on every potential applicant, and most will
only do so as a component of a job offer. Before they've hired you, that's all
they'd do with a Social Security number. Also, the company would need your
signature to run a background check or fill out immigration paperwork. A
legitimate business won't ask for your Social Security number out of the blue.
2.)
Identify the poster. If a job offer
comes from a major company, odds are good that it's not just on the job boards.
It's also on their web page. Copy the text of the job description and paste it
into a search engine. You should get results from several job boards as well as
the company's website. You can use tools like who is to determine the ad's
country of origin. This can help find hidden red flags. If the posting claims
to be from a company that's located in the U.S., its domain registration should
reflect that. If it's a company that's been in operation for years, its website
registration shouldn't be from the last few weeks or months.
3.)
Sanitize your online presence. Tools
like Facebook and LinkedIn can help you in the job search process, but they can
also help identity thieves. Remove unnecessary personal information like your
hometown or your birthday from your social media profiles. This information can
help identity thieves bluff their way past human security. As an added benefit,
putting your date of birth on your resume may be a turnoff for employers. Age
discrimination in employment is illegal, and employers can land in hot water if
they ask you any questions that hint at trying to determine your age.
4.)
Stay vigilant. Look for all the
typical scam warning signs: unbelievable salaries, vague descriptions,
misspellings, grammar errors, and unprofessional e-mail service providers.
Someone offering you a job isn't that much different from someone offering you
a large sum of money. You should be skeptical of everyone you don't know who
contacts you wanting personal information. Take the time to do your due
diligence in every instance. Don't let the pressures of the job search crumble
your common sense. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
No comments:
Post a Comment