Education/training | Making Connections | Personal Advancement | Self-employment | Career Options

Personal Advancement

Internet job seekers beware!

With advances in technology, identity theft has become an increasingly popular crime in Canada and worldwide. In recent years, job seekers have become the target of scammers. Users of popular job boards have fallen prey to these insidious criminals who target innocent people looking for a job.

SHARON GRAHAM

[ 2005-12-07 ]

Send to a friend

Do you know your strengths, weaknesses and best job fits?
To find out, take this test by eCareerFit, the career assessment experts.

In this information age, it is no wonder that job seekers are eagerly marketing themselves through the Internet. However, this has created a new means for criminals to easily obtain and exploit personal information. Unsuspecting individuals are preyed upon and left emotionally and financially devastated -- often with a bad credit history that is sure to follow them around for many years.

If you are a job seeker, be vigilant in your job search to maintain your privacy and identity intact. Your online resume can expose you if it includes personal data such as your date of birth. Data miners prowl job boards and hack into mainframes searching for victims who have innocently provided personal details. Then, these thieves use your information to take advantage of you.

In your job search, you may encounter the following scam performed either by e-mail or by phone. The scammer will pose as a legitimate employer and request information such as your Social Insurance Number or driver's licence number to include in your "employment contract." Once you provide it, the criminal then uses the number to apply for bank loans and credit cards. Once in place, the thief can make all kinds of purchases using your good credit.

In another scam, the phoney employer will ask for your credit card number or bank account number, suggesting that this is needed either for a routine background check or to set up direct paycheque deposit. He or she will then ask you to supply a four-digit password so that the "employer" can set up your personal access to their website. In this situation, the scammer is hoping you will provide the same password as your bank PIN number. Once they have that, voila; your account is a free-for-all.

Sometimes the scam is as simple as asking you for money to start the process rolling. You should never have to pay anything to a potential employer in order to get the job. So, if anyone asks you for money up front, you should seriously question their motives.

Here are some things that you can do to avoid being a target:

* Scrutinize a potential employer's company name, e-mail address, domain name and other "red flags" such as spelling or grammatical errors.

* Beware of any company representative who asks for your social insurance number, credit card, banking information and/or driver's licence number.

* If you want to post your resume online, omit personal information such as your birth date or marital status.

* If you do not receive a credit card bill on time, follow up immediately with the creditor to find out why.

* Once a year, order a copy of your credit report from a major Credit Bureau and confirm your credit history.

In a recent press release, The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is encouraging Canadian consumers to review their credit report regularly for the warning signs of identity theft.

To assist consumers in doing so, FCAC has issued a free booklet, "Understanding Your Credit Report and Credit Score." You can obtain it through their website (www.fcac.gc.ca) or by calling 1-866-461-3222.

Identity thieves are always looking for new ways to take advantage of your good name and credit. Even though scams have been on the rise, the benefits of online job searching still outweigh the risks for most job seekers.

Be vigilant, to thwart the thieves and ensure success in your job search.

Sharon Graham is a professional resume writer, employment interview strategist and author. She is executive director of Career Professionals of Canada and services job seekers though her consulting firm Graham Management Group, www.GrahamManagement.com.

---