Job seekers: Be cautious when posting resumes online

June 29, 2011 – 11:08 am

If you’ve posted your resume online, beware – identity thieves are constantly trolling the waters, looking for personal information.

Job seekers must be vigilant about protecting themselves and the information they post online. Some key things to remember include:

• Guard your resume. Set up an alternative e-mail address to use while you are job hunting, and use a cell phone and a post office box number as your address. Don’t list your references unless they are requested by a prospective employer.

• Pay attention to details. A reputable job site will provide its privacy policy. Be sure to read it carefully, and find out how long your resume will be active, and how to delete when you’re ready. If there is no privacy policy provided, don’t post your resume there or respond to postings.

• Check out job recruiters. Fake recruiters will often approach the job seeker, then ask for copies of driver’s license, or for a Social Security number. This can give a thief the holy trinity of identity theft information: If they have your resume, they have your name and address, and if you provide your SSN, it completes the trinity, and gives them all the information they need to steal your identity.

• Protect your education records. Contact your college or university and request that they not release your educational records without your permission.

Another thing you should beware of, generally speaking, is a practice that is becoming quite common. In an effort to see if they can find their personal information online, many people use a search engine and type in their name and Social Security number. This is a huge mistake.

Criminals can use spyware or cookies to get your information. If you wish to use a search engine for this purpose, type in your name and only the last four digits of your Social Security number.

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