Employment seekers beware crooks are looking for your identity and don’t have far to go. Many disguise themselves as Job Brokers or Placement Agencies and even have websites to trick you into uploading your resume and entering detailed contact information.
I call these the ‘Job Search Flytraps’ of Fake Employment websites. The better looking the offers the more likely jobseekers will upload a resume and Personal Identifiable Information.
Once they obtain a good work history and contact information they can resell it to shady marketing companies or criminals that intend on using your resume for credit applications or resumes for criminals.
Look for employment is difficult enough, but conducting some due diligence may save you from becoming a victim of identity theft before finding that perfect job.
For the record there are many genuine companies and services that provide assistance for jobseekers. The problem is how to tell the difference from the good and bad.
Here are some tips to help navigate through the ‘Job Search Flytraps’ on the internet.
- Beware of sites that redirect you to another site or possibly out of country.
- Be wary of sites that offer high salaries and “no experience needed”
- Be cautious of jobs and recruiters you find on social media.
- Be suspicious when their phone number /addresses are not searchable.
- Look for words such as “Privacy Notice,” and “Privacy Policy,” . This describes how they store your data. Do you need to Opt-Out of their marketing services?
- The obvious ‘bad’ verbiage and spelling is a good sign of a scam site or email.
Some recommendations to help reduce exposure to Fraudulent Employment Websites
- Don’t use an existing email address. Create a new one just for your job search (AOL,Yahoo).
- Create a special contact phone number. Google Voice
- Limit how much of your contact information you provide. Leave out street numbers.
- Contact the potential employers website’s ‘career or jobs’ section. Apply directly.
- Refrain from entering your Social Security Number unless you’ve accepted a position .
- Be wary of old outdated employment portals. Are they secure? Do they use SSL?
- If you use services similar to Monster, Indeed or Glassdoor. Check their privacy settings and limit how much of your resume and contact data is searchable online.
If you are denied for employment based on a background check:
- Request the name and contact information of the Background Company used and request a copy of your report. Dispute inaccuracies.
- Order a copy of your credit reports from Annual Credit Report.com
- Order a copy of your Public Records report from LexisNexis
If you believe a fake employment site has obtained your information. Start with filing complaints with the following agencies:
- The Federal Trade Commission
- Org – Job Scams
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Place a Fraud Alert with Annual Credit Report.com
About the Author:
Mark Fullbright
Mark is an ICFE CITRMS® Certified Identity Theft Advocate. His experience includes over 20 years in Financial Crimes, with his specialty (and his favorite) being his dedication to helping the victims of Identity Theft.