LifeLock

Lose a job then lose an identity — that’s one of the sad trends in today’s miserable economy. Identity thieves pose as recruiters and prey on desperate job hunters. And, unfortunately, when these predators show a little interest, a lot of people reflexively give them any information they ask for including home address, birth date – even Social Security numbers.

So, how do you conduct a vigorous job search without offending prospective employers or joining the 10 million identity theft victims who got scammed in 2008?

• Pare down personal information on your resume. Recruiters need only your name, phone number and email address.
• If a “recruiter” asks for extensive personal information, get his name and phone number, and say you’ll call right back. Then call the company’s HR department to be sure he works there and it’s standard policy to request so much information at an early stage of consideration.
• Be sure online job-posting sites aren’t selling your information or placing persistent cookies on your computer. Read the privacy policy and user terms and agreement before you post.
• Recognize red flags. If the salary seems too generous, or wages are to be paid in cash, or there is no contact name, or the “employer” wants you to open a new bank account or test a new wire transfer system … run.
• Keep good records of your job search. No matter how cautious you are, you could still get taken. The cops are going to need a starting point for their investigation, and only you can tell them where to start.
• Do all of the above and enroll in LifeLock. Visit LifeLock.com to learn more about the innovative, comprehensive identity theft protection services they’re providing for nearly 1.5 million Americans. Enroll using the LifeLock promo code DEFENSE and pay only $9 a month.