Looking for a job? Beware employment resume scams
A Milton, Ont. woman has been looking for a job, hoping to work remotely in technical support, and received an offer from someone who claimed to be a recruiter who reached out to her through LinkedIn.
But Lori Foster said that not long into the interview process the recruiter wanted a lot of personal information, which made her uncomfortable and eventually led her to believe it was a scam.
“Had I provided the last foiur digits of my social insurance number, my birthday and other personal information they were asking for I could have been the victim of identity theft," said Foster.
LinkedIn is a social networking website business professionals use to communicate and make new contacts.
When CTV News Toronto reached out to the company to ask about criminals using the website to try and get personal information through resume scams, Brionna Ruff with LinkedIn Corporate Communications said in a statement, “we work every day to keep our members safe, and this includes investing in automated and manual defenses to detect and address fake accounts, false information, and suspected fraud.”
“Our policies are very clear: we do not allow fraudulent activity, including financial scams on LinkedIn. We also encourage members to report any suspicious messages so our teams can take action. You can learn more about the work we do to keep members safe here."
According to the Better Business bureau (BBB) there was a major increase in employment scams during the pandemic as many people tried to find ways to work from home.
"Information like your banking details, your social insurance number and other personal information is something that you don’t provide until you are hired," President and CEO of the BBB for Central Ontario Angela Dennis sai.
The BBB said you should always beware of unsolicited job offers and be careful if you are ever asked to receive a cheque, cash it and then forward on the funds to others.
You should also never have to pay in advance to get a job and another red flag is being told that you have been hired without having to do a job interview.
Dennis said most importantly is doing your research and not giving out too much information when answering a recruiter or searching for a job.
“What they are trying to do is get people’s information to steal their identity and open up bank accounts and credit cards," Dennis said.
Foster contacted CTV News Toronto hoping to make others aware that if they're looking for a job and they’re asked to provide too much personal information before they're hired, chances are it's a scam.
“It could be they want something from you. They don't actually want to give you a job, they just want your information," said Foster.
If you're asked to conduct a job interview through a messaging app and you’re told not to phone to talk to someone or do a video call, chances are it's a scam.
According to the BBB if you have doubts about the authenticity of the job offer, by-pass the recruiter all together, and call the company directly to see if the job actually exists.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
BREAKING Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
Plane overshoots runway at airport in St. John's, N.L., no injuries reported
Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are headed to St. John's, N.L., after a plane overshot a runway at the city's airport this afternoon.
A teen was found buried in a basement in New York. An engraved ring helped police learn her identity two decades later
For more than two decades, the unknown victim was nicknamed "Midtown Jane Doe" because she was found in the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood of New York City. But this week, investigators finally revealed her identity.