Five Tips for Safe Job Searches

NUMEROLOGY

Don’t get hooked by scamsters “phishing” for your personal information through help-wanted e-mails.

1 | Always proceed with caution when you receive a cold-contact e-mail from someone purporting to be a recruiter. Instead of clicking on the e-mail link, go to the company’s Web site directly to verify its legitimacy.

2 | Avoid responding to any requests for personal information such as your Social Security or credit card number.

3 | When dealing with a resume writing or submission service, ensure information is encrypted before hitting the “submit” button. Encrypted Web sites either begin with the root URL “https” or have a padlock icon that appears in the bottom right corner of your screen.

4 | Read and understand the privacy policy of the Web sites you patronize.

5 | Report anything suspicious to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center ( www.ic3.gov ).

Source: Resume to Referral, Springfield, Ohio, www.resumebycprw.com , 2006.