Unemployed people and jobseekers are being targeted in fake job scams by individuals trying to gather their personal data, potentially in order to commit identity theft, it has emerged.
Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes revealed his office had received complaints in recent days from people who had applied for jobs which “turned out to be fake”.
While there were just three complaints to the commissioner’s office, they came in quick succession and the office is concerned that the real number of such scams may be greater.
One of the job scams involved an advert in an evening newspaper seeking a labourer at Dublin airport for an hourly rate of €19.50. After the applicant provided some personal information via email, the job later turned out not to exist. Fax numbers and other contact information provided by the would-be ‘employer’ turned out to be fake.
A second scam involved the targeting of workers involved in the charity sector, with a job ad for a position at the United Nations in Geneva.
In all cases, personal information was sought and exchanged by email.
Deputy data protection commissioner and director of investigations, Gary Davis, said he believed the most likely reason the information was being gathered by the scamsters was for a loan or credit application. Bank account information was not exchanged, he said.
The individual complainants were urged to contact their financial institutions and the Irish Credit Bureau to flag any possible attempt to obtain loans or credit in their names.
Mr Davis said a reputable employer would never seek such personal information by email and he urged individuals never to disclose details such as date of birth, mother’s maiden name or PPSN number in this way.
Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes said: "I am very concerned that in the current economic climate criminals are trying to take advantage of job applicants.
“They seem to be seeking personal details for identity fraud purposes. Job seekers are being asked to supply details that are totally unnecessary and likely to be used to perpetrate fraud either against that person or in their name.
“I am asking all job applicants to be extra careful when supplying personal details and to verify the identity of any potential employer that seems to be seeking a lot of personal data.”
Mr Hawkes said that in one of the scams a job is advertised and, following the receipt of applications, applicants are asked to supply more personal details to facilitate “Garda vetting”.
He said there are a limited number of employment positions for which Garda vetting is required, including posts where people are in contact with children and vulnerable adults, and in all circumstances the individual must sign a detailed consent form agreeing to the vetting.
“If you are asked to provide personal information for Garda vetting without signing the detailed consent form, you should refuse,” he said.
The commissioner said is was likely there are a number of other variations to this scheme that may be used by criminals to encourage individuals to provide their personal details, apparently to facilitate a job application.
“Accordingly job applicants are encouraged to verify the identity of any potential employer that is seeking unnecessary personal information in advance of a person taking up a position of employment.
“For instance, bank account details, PPSN details, mother's maiden name, passport details etc. are all entirely unnecessary at job application stage and should not be supplied unless an applicant is absolutely certain that they are dealing with a genuine employer.”
Mr Hawkes said any person worried that they may have supplied their personal details in these circumstances should consider contacting their financial institution and informing them about the circumstances in which they handed over their information.