More and more cases of identities being stolen are reported each day. This definitely sounds alarming but it gives us more reason to employ identity theft protection measures. From statistics gathered, 38-48% of victims find out about that their identities have been stolen only within 3 months of it starting. By that time, much damage could already be done to your image and finances.
The rules of identity theft protection apply to all individuals. However, it is found out that people who are looking for employment have higher possibilities of victimization. This is due to the fact that job seekers are more likely to reveal information about their selves. If you are looking for a job, here are some identity theft protection tips and guides you can use to reduce the risks of having your identity stolen.
The resume
Your resume is the document you present to the employer that contains most of your personal date like your contact information and educational background and past job experiences. Though most identity theft protection tips tell you to only disclose as little information about yourself to others as possible, the resume and what it contains is an essential document in job applications.
You can reduce your exposure to such crime if you do not include in your resume the following: social security number, date of birth, marital status, the year you graduated from various schools and the school name (you can provide your degree or subject or area of specialty), professional license number, sex and age (it is against the law for employers to ask for these), disabilities (unless the job specifies a request to describe any physical limitations, you should not offer this information up front), the reason why you left a past employer, hobbies, taxpayer id number, driver’s license number.
Answering an ad
You can find jobs in the internet or in the newspapers. Thieves always have their way of taking information from you via the internet, that’s why you need to apply various identity theft protection measures.
If you are asked to write your SSN on a resume or cover letter, you can ask them why it is requested and explain that you are not comfortable with it. More so, do not disclose your social security number during phone interviews especially if you are not sure with the person you are talking to. You can always contact the company and inquire at their Human Resources Department if the person you have talked to is an employee.
Remember that it is uncommon for companies to do background checks, hence the need for the SSN, on individuals like you who are merely applying for a job online. If background checks are said to be the reason, you should suspect that you can be talking to a scam artist.
You should also check the email address in case they contact you for your SSN via email. If the domain name does not contain the company name, it could be a sign of fraudulence. Avoid companies whose only office seems to be outside the country. You can Yahoo or Google search them and if nothing appears, consider looking for a different job.
