Security Tips for your Job Search

Security Tips for your Job Search

Any time you utilize the Internet, it is important to remember the need to take appropriate steps to protect your own personal information, and not to assume that all communications that may occur are secure or that your confidentiality will necessarily be protected. To encourage you take appropriate steps to protect your information, we are providing the following information and tips which may assist you in a safely engaging in a job search. We urge you to take the time to educate yourself about these risks, and to carefully consider this information before entering any personally identifying information about yourself, or before you provide any such information to third parties who may solicit your employment through this site.

There is no substitute for the use of good judgment on your part when dealing with potential employers whether over the Internet or by telephone.

The risk of identity theft by unscrupulous third parties is a real one, and only you can protect yourself by always exercising caution before sharing personal information with third parties. The Roanoke Times cannot guarantee the confidentiality of the information you share with others who post on this site, nor can we pre-screen every person or business who wants to place listings on our job site. As stated in the Terms and Conditions, job seekers use this site at their own risk. As a result, we urge all job seekers to always exercise appropriate caution before disclosing any of their personal information.

We are concerned about this issue, but we cannot continuously monitor the use this system and we count on your reports of problems to bring matters to our attention. Please promptly report any suspected fraudulent or irregular activity you may experience while visiting our site. These reports should be made as soon as possible after the occurrence and directed to employment@roanoke.com.

Again, please report these incidences to us promptly, so that we may take the necessary actions to investigate the matter, and take appropriate action, which may include blocking the third party from further access to the site as a supposed employer.

As in all consumer transactions, there is no substitute for a healthy skepticism and your own good judgment. Remember, if a job sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind while you are looking for the right job:

• The Roanoke Times does not get involved in transactions between jobseekers and employers. You will never receive a message from us requesting payment info for a job position being offered. If you get such a communication, it is not coming from The Roanoke Times, and you should report this incident promptly.
• Be cautious of any third party who offers employment without an interview (either in person or by phone).
• Be wary of any company who charges a fee to employ you or to find a placement for you. The policies of the Roanoke Times prohibit agencies from posting a job opportunity that requires an up front payment or periodic payment by you. If you are asked to pay a fee, please report this situation promptly.
• Please investigate thoroughly any company that requests that you transfer funds or receive packages for reshipment, especially if the business is located overseas. Most of these employment offers are not legitimate, but instead are check-cashing or shipping scams!
• Do not provide your social security number or any other sensitive information unless you are confident that the company is legitimate, and is making you a bona fide employment offer.
• Be very cautious of vague offers as these are often scams. If the prospective employer is not willing to specifically describe the position, job duties and compensation being offered, you probably don’t want it.
• Open a new browser window and type in http://jobs.roanoke.com every time you visit the site. Be cautious of links to jobs.roanoke.com sent to you in emails. They could be phishing scams!

Some additional information provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation:

How to test to see if the job posting is fraudulent:

• Do your homework on the employer to ensure that they are legitimate.
• Try to obtain a physical address rather than merely a post office box and a phone number, if the information is available, call the employer to see if the number is correct and working.
• Send them an e-mail to see if they have an active e-mail address and be wary of employers who use free e-mail services where a credit card wasn't required to open the account.
• Consider not responding to employers who won't provide you with this type of information.
• Check with the Better Business Bureau from the employer’s area.
• Check out other websites regarding this employer.
• Don't judge an employer by their website.
• Be cautious when responding to special job offers, especially through unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious when dealing with employers from outside the United States.

Additional resources from the Federal Trade Commission

Internet fraud and Safety:
www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/tech/privacy.shtm

Ads for Business Opportunities: How To Detect Deception:
www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/opps/bus68.shtm

How Not to Get Hooked by a ‘Phishing’ Scam:
www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt127.shtm