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So, you’ve uploaded your resume to various job board websites, created online social media profiles for all industry leaders to see, and applied to every opportunity that interests you. You’ve managed to be accessible to almost all the employers out there. “This must lead to a new job!”, you might think. That might not be all it leads to….
Not only have you made your work history and educational background available to hiring managers, you’ve made your personal information readily available to scammers. On the surface, it looks like you are just going through the common job search process. Fact is, potential employers only really need your name and phone number or e-mail address to be able to contact you. Providing them with your street address, apartment number, and worse – Social Insurance Number is just plain dangerous.
As a recruiter with McNeill Nakamoto, I view countless resumes online and a surprising number of them have personal information included that makes identity theft too easy for criminals posing as potential employers. Scammers have been known to simply use the information you provided on your resume or online profile to access your banking information, make duplicate government documents, and much more.
There are more complex tactics that every job seeker should be aware of… Some con-artists pose as hiring managers and email applicants who submit their resumes to legitimate job postings. By hacking into a hiring manager’s email account, they can respond to applicants – confirming that they have won the position, and then ask the unsuspecting candidates to provide personal information, government ID numbers and banking information. Read This! Job Seeker Identities at Risk
Moral of the story – Think twice before sharing personal information online.
Filed under: career
