Not sure I’m the first out of the post with this story but I have been researching reports and have personally gone through and vetted a few of these “fake employers” who post jobs on Indeed for the sole purpose of gathering personal information. This also applies to “head hunters or recruitment agencies” from my personal experience.
So what to look for?
- No google or search engine history
- No local business address and especially start-up enterprises
- No web site or a bare bones website with no contact information like address or phone#
- Interviews that ask for personal ID before offer of employment is sent
- Pace of contact seems too quick
- Only contacted by the hiring manager an not anyone from HR or other employees
- Salary seems higher than the industry average
Unfortunately this is another area that we now need to be careful with and keep our guard up. It literally targets the most vulnerable among us by targeting those unemployed or those looking to leave bad employers, so emotions are high.
What can you do?
- Research the hell out of the company on line
- Call them to see if they have staff and know that they are looking for applicants
- Do a drive by if no Google Maps data
- If you do communicate with them, keep all records and texts.
- Only give out sensitive information like Social Insurance or Social Security numbers in person
- Always ask for an offer of employment before accepting work or disclosing information
Keep your guard up and protect your personal information.
Rick
bbtfinancial.ca 
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