Resumes Online Are Like Hitting The Lottery Jackpot For Identity Thieves
n our quest for the Business Bureaus and Employment
perfect job, career or even professionals, as well as the
our first job out of Federal Bureau of Investigations
college many people turn to the have identified online fraud as
internet as a source of self one of the most common sources of
marketing, and promotions, job identity theft. Identity thieves
finder service and networking and prospective employers alike
tool. Hundreds of thousands use can use your information. Which
employment search programs such one do you want to have it?
as Careerbuilder.com; Monster.com
and Yahoo HotJobs. Here are a few examples of those
who didn’t think identity theft
Resumes are posted everywhere on could happen to them by posting
the internet. Most every their resume online:
university, business, company or
personal website (for those “Jim” responded to an email
looking for employment) provides request from an individual
a resume, or some form of identifying himself as interested
contact, background, employment, in Jim as a potential employee at
or educational information. a leading corporation in his
field of expertise. Additional
University professors post their information was required of him,
curriculum vita. Businesses and he was told, so that they could
medical professionals post their quickly perform a background
employment and educational check before going through the
information online to advertise time and expense of further
their qualifications. But how interviews. After responding with
safe is this information? all the information that the
“company” requested he followed
Privacy advocates, Better up with a phone call to discover
that the number he was given had name, address, telephone number,
been disconnected. He contacted date of birth, schools attending
the company through their toll and when, as well as references
free number and after some and their contact information.
discussion with the human Some resumes even include height
resource department discovered he and weight.
had been a victim of a scam.
The use of technology by both
Three companies contacted potentional employees and
“Candace” with request for more employers is a common practice.
information for jobs that With all the information out
appeared to be too good to be there, with all the competition
true. Suspicious of so much good in the job market how do you
fortune she did more research and market and keep your information
found that the information and safe?
techniques used to gather
additional information from her Do the following:
were common methods used for
identity theft. Rewrite your resume using a
functional format
NBA Star Steve Smith and movie Include a work location
star Will Smith were victims of Include education and work
the same identity theft criminal. experience in general terms.
Create an anonymous job search
An online resume is a ticket to email address, which does not use
the lotto and in some cases it’s your name.
straight to the bank to cash that Use your cell phone number or
winning lotto check. Resumes even purchase a prepaid cell
provide identity thieves with phone system while you are
personal information such as: conducting your job search.
Your research; make sure you know number, mother’s maiden name or
which online job sites are any other information when
legitimate and safe. approached by a “contact.”
Get it in writing: print out the .
licensing and privacy agreement, Use the technology for you, not
before agreeing to it and posting against you. Install spyware and
your resume. anti virus programs and use them.
Professionally explain that Report inappropriate contacts or
additional information is requests to the job search site
available upon completion of an via email or a contact us from.
interview or at another Reset your cookies on your
appropriate time after face to personal computer decreasing
face contact. opportunities for spyware,
adware, or malware to access your
Do not: computer.
Include your address. Keep track of your information,
Include dates of employment or when and where it was submitted.
graduation It will help you not only “weed”
“Copy and paste” your regular out inappropriate contacts but
resume into a comments section of also assist you in professionally
an application or online service. presenting yourself to
Provide references and references prospective employers.
contact information; you may be
putting them at risk for identity Make your job or career efforts
theft. successful ones by protecting
Include: SSN, date of birth, home your information, presenting
telephone number or personal yourself cordially and
email address. professionally, and being
Release your social security knowledgeable about your field
and the world. By using the tips be able to keep your credit safe
offered, you may not only get allowing you to enjoy all the
that dream job, but you may also money you will be making.
About the Author:
Lisa Carey is a contributing author for Identity Theft Secrets: prevention and protection. You can get tips on Identity theft protection, software, and monitoring your credit as well as learn more about the secrets used by identity thieves at the Identity Theft Secrets blog
Published At: www.Isnare.com
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