Job hunters could unwittingly be putting themselves at risk of identity theft every time they submit a CV online.
New research has warned that individuals who submit their CVs to potential employers and recruitment agencies over the internet could be leaving themselves open to identity fraud.
A recent experiment by iProfile, in association with the Metropolitan Police and the Information Assurance Advisory Council (IAAC), has highlighted just how unaware, and therefore vulnerable, the public are to the possibility of CV fraud.
In their attempts to raise the profile of this hidden crime, the CV company managed to attract 107 applications for a fake job, through a fake website; each of which contained enough information for a fraudster to use.
As part of the study an advertisement for an Office Manager position at fake company ‘Denis Atlas’ (an anagram of “steal an id”) was placed in a national newspaper during National Identity Fraud Prevention Week. Those interested were asked to apply by submitting their CV through the fraudulent website.
iProfile ensured that a simple search for information on Denis Atlas would reveal that the company didn’t exist. However, 68% didn’t carry out any kind of background check on the company, leaving their personal details open to abuse.
To ensure the validity of their results iProfile worked with reformed id fraudster Bob Turney who confirmed that, on average, the CVs received contained eight different pieces of information that could be used fraudulently.
Over 91% of applicants detailed their full address on their CV, with 57% including their date of birth and 19% putting others at risk by including full references.
Astoundingly, 61 of the CVs submitted contained sufficient information for a criminal to fraudulently apply for a credit card, while one application even detailed the applicant’s passport and national insurance number.
In response to these findings iProfile have warned that job seekers should always research the history of a potential employer before forwarding their CV. Furthermore, they also advise job seekers to leave their date and place of birth and marital status off their CV for added security.
