Mass Unemployment Is a Field Day for Identity Thieves

Here’s how you can protect yourself on the job hunt

The September jobs report, though it trended in the right direction, still showed a grim employment outlook and a long road to recovery for our country. Though unemployment fell to 7.9 percent, that still means millions of Americans spend their days applying for jobs in a ruthlessly competitive market.

These kinds of conditions are a field day for hackers. Companies are receiving a greater volume of applications, making their databases increasingly rich – and increasingly attractive to thieves seeking to steal personal information. As if job hunters didn’t have enough to worry about, now they must confront the possibility of identity theft and the financial setbacks recovering an identity can entail.

While there’s no guarantee that the database of any given company you apply to will remain secure, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Here are some things to keep in mind as you send out applications and make inquiries:

Stay skeptical

Phishing schemes are designed to exploit the desperate. Don’t let your desire to get a job compromise your good judgment. If you receive a suspicious-looking email or LinkedIn message, don’t click on any of the links it contains. Delete it and make a note in your job application spreadsheet so you remember not to engage with that company any further.

Protect your passwords

When you’ve sent out dozens of applications, it can be tempting to use the same password over and over again to spare yourself the trouble of remembering so many unique passwords. Resist this urge and use unique passwords.

Spare yourself the memory test and the security risk:

Invest in a password manager. Most products are relatively inexpensive and will speed your application process through password suggestions. If you find yourself struggling to justify the extra cost, remember this: American consumers reported losing $1.9 billion in identity theft and fraud cases in 2019. Spending the money now could save you money later, not to mention 200-plus hours of lost time working to recover your identity.

Be stingy

Charity is a virtue – except when it comes to sharing data. You’ve heard this before, but it bears repeating: never, ever, ever, hand over your Social Security number during the interview process. The only appropriate time for an employer to ask for it is after they’ve extended you an offer and need your social security number to run a background check. Prior to that, it’s a major red flag and a sign of an unethical company or a scam.

Refrain from sharing any personal information

For example, marital status, religion or even your address–on your resume. You don’t want to supply thieves with any information that could help them fraudulently impersonate you. Refrain from including any information about your references on your resume, as this could help thieves build profiles on the very people who have agreed to help you. Wait until a potential employer asks for your references before you send over your references’ contact information.

Consider creating a unique email address dedicated to your job hunt

This will protect your personal email from scammers and help you stay organized.

Set up free credit monitoring

If you haven’t done so already, set up free credit monitoring as you job search. That way, you’ll receive an alert as soon as fraudulent activity occurs and you can freeze your credit score and reach out to any relevant parties (your bank, your health insurance provider, the Social Security Administration) as soon as possible to prevent any added damage from being done.

Consider identity theft protection

As you continue to send out job applications, consider purchasing an identity theft protection plan. While this may sound like an added expense at a financially difficult time, most plans are relatively inexpensive – as low as $10 per month.

If you manage to find a job, congratulations! This is an enormous accomplishment during such a difficult time. But before you sign on the dotted line, ask the employer if they’d be willing to cover your identity theft protection. These plans actually help to increase employee productivity: Many identity theft protection services advocate for their customers, saving employees valuable working hours by helping them work with their bank and other relevant parties to resolve the problem.

These are difficult times for all Americans, but particularly those who are job hunting while managing the health and safety of themselves and their loved ones. But by taking these simple steps, you can apply with confidence, knowing you’ve done all in your power to protect your personal information.