Cybercriminals are using a variety of tactics aimed at stealing sensitive personal information from those seeking employment. These scammers are collecting data from posted resumes, sending emails to job seekers posing as potential employers or headhunters, and posting fake job listings on employment sites. According to a recent NY Post article, there have been upwards of 18,000 bogus job listings created with an attempt to steal your information. Some even build bogus websites where victims are scammed into entering their personal information under the false pretense of applying for unemployment benefits. Looking for a new job or looking to transition into a new career can be stressful enough without becoming a victim of identity theft as a result of your efforts. As with other scams, your best defense is having the information you need to recognize them before you become a victim. Below we’ll list some of our identity theft best protection tips.
Gathering Information from Legitimate Job Sites
Identity thieves can collect substantial amounts of personal data by perusing legitimate employment sites. Some sites allow job seekers to post their resumes where they are readily accessible to anyone who wants to read them. Resumes typically include full names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, which is enough to give an identity thief a good start.
Some job seekers have made it far too easy for cybercriminals by also including their driver’s license numbers and even their Social Security numbers in their resumes, something that should never be done. With all of that data, an identity thief can immediately begin opening accounts in that person’s name and possibly gain access to his or her existing financial resources.
Email and Phone Scams
Scammers often contact their targets directly using the email addresses or phone numbers in their posted resumes. Using other included information, like job histories, interests, hobbies, and the types of jobs applicants are seeking, skilled con artists can concoct convincing stories and personas they then use to extract more personal information. They send emails or call their potential victims and pose as representatives of companies or as head-hunters working for an agency.
These fraudsters may make very generous offers without ever having met with their targets. They may tell victims that they can work from home, or that they’ll be working in some island paradise or other desirable location. Their goal is to gather more sensitive personal information or perhaps convince them to provide some form of payment or account access for the purpose of paying a finder’s fee or the cost of a background check. They sometimes claim that they need bank account information so they can set up direct deposit for victims’ salaries, despite the fact that they’ve never even met them.
Bogus Job Postings
Some criminals prefer to post fake job listings on employment sites and bulletin boards so their potential victims will contact them. When they receive a call or email, they’ll begin the process of extracting data until they have enough to steal the caller’s identity, access his or her accounts, or use the information in some other way. These criminals frequently use the same tactics described in the previous section.
Fake Unemployment Sites
Cybercriminals build websites to try and collect information and steal the identities of those who are attempting to file for unemployment compensation. They offer to assist their targets by filing their compensation claims for them. All they need is enough of their victims’ personal information to file on their behalf, which, in reality, isn’t permitted. This is the same personal information they need to commit identity theft.
Protecting Yourself and Your Data
Before you post your resume on a site, do your research. Read online reviews, check the BBB site and others for complaints, and don’t trust a site just because it is included in the top few search results. Scammers will pay to have their malicious sites placed among the top returns. Carefully examine website URLs. Criminals will use site addresses that are almost identical to those of legitimate sites. Also verify that the URL begins with “HTTPS” rather than “HTTP” so that you know the connection is secure before you enter any sensitive data.
Post your information on employment sites that offer privacy settings allowing you to limit the data shared publicly. Use those settings to hide your contact information and other personal data from scammers. Some legitimate sites allow you to restrict the way in which a potential employer can contact you, such as by allowing contact only through the site and not via direct personal email or phone call. Some sites allow you to upload your resume, but set it to be completely private. The downside is that you’ll then have to search the job listings, yourself, and tell the site to send your resume to those employers posting jobs that interest you.
Don’t Overshare
Under no circumstances should you ever include your Social Security number, driver’s license number, credit card or bank account information in anything you post or emails you send. You should also withhold your home address, perhaps including only your city and state. If you’re contacted directly, never give out your personal information over the phone. It’s highly unlikely that a legitimate employer would ask you for sensitive data without meeting with you personally. And always wait until you receive a written job offer from a reputable organization before sharing this type of information.
Beware of Suspicious Calls and Emails
If you receive a phone call and you get a feeling that something just isn’t right, trust your instincts. You can simply end the call or you can pretend to be otherwise occupied and ask for a callback number. Get the name of the caller and the company he or she claims to represent, then search online for a number for that company (if it even exists). Don’t use the number the caller provided to return the call.
If you receive a suspicious email, do some research before replying. If there is a legitimate company name in the message, contact the company directly using information you obtain from the company’s website. Don’t use contact information provided in the email. Never click on links or open attachments in emails you receive from someone you don’t know.
Conclusion
Changing jobs is among the six most stressful life events. The fact that there are criminals out there who target job seekers certainly increases that stress level. If you are in the market for a new position, implementing the recommendations herein will help you avoid becoming a victim. And always trust that little voice when it tells you that something’s just not right. We hope this list of the best identity theft protection tips will help you during your job hunt.
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