Unemployment topped 10% in October, and the holiday season is upon us. Combine the two and you have a lot of people trying to looking for jobs. Sad to say, there’s also a whole lot of ID theft going on.

Most ID theft scams targeting job seekers fall are either phishing attacks or bogus job listings on legitimate job search websites.

The phishing attempts are emails describing job opportunities with more details or an application available if the recipient will only click on the included link. NEVER CLICK ON THE LINK! Clicking on the link enables the senders to install malware that can steal financial or personal information. In some cases, the linked site looks so legitimate; job seekers will complete an application, thereby voluntarily providing the scammers with all the information they need to commit ID theft.

The second scam sneaks up on job seekers using online employment listings. In this case, the adds look very promising, and if contacted, the “employers” may even conduct a phone interview with the job hunter. The scammer will claim to be impressed and instruct the interviewee to complete an application online.

In either of these scenarios the scammers may ask for bank account information so payment can be direct deposited, or claim they need it to do a credit check before they can make a job offer.

How to avoid ID theft while job hunting

• Provide only your name and an email address on your resume. Open a free email account used exclusively for your job search.
• Never give any bank account information during the application process. Legitimate employers never ask for this information until after the deal is sealed.
• Do a lot of research before you accept a job offered by an interviewer you’ve never met who claims to work for company you’ve never heard of. Get a physical address and check with the state agency that regulates or licenses businesses.

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