Your CV and Identity theft

Fulham_Mark

Just a quick one...

Your CV probably contains enough personal data to let someone have a go at identity theft. The key things being your date of birth and full address. Linking your mobile, home phone and email address is quite nice too.

With every job receiving 100+ applications there's more of a risk of your CV floating around the office or being dumped in a bin or left on the train.

I'm not using my full date of birth now (DOB: Aug 1912) and not showing the day for example. And not my full address.

Something to think about anyway.

CCFC_80

A good point, however one of my biggest concerns is the fact that nearly all employment agencies ask for your N.I number when registering even when they can't offer you any work. In my area a dozen or so of the useless agencies that have never offered me anything have my N.I number on their system maybe indefinitely. It makes me wonder what could happen if someone broke into their premises and stole their computers and files.

Perhaps if anyone on this forum who works for an agency can explain the justification in insisting on asking for your N.I number on registration forms when you probably will not offer a candidate any work. I expect someone will say security blah, blah, blah, but I would prefer to give evidence of My NI number and proof of my eligibilty to work in the uk, if and when I am offered work through that agency which should be a formality.

angellotz

certainly something to be wary of.

i don't put a date of birth at all - a lot of recruitment agencies told me not to as it's fairly irrelevant - my education dates etc should give a rough idea.

also, re NI numbers - this has always been a concern to me too, as well as everybody having a photocopy of my passport!

Sharon87

I never put my date of birth on either. It can help with identity fraud if someone steals it, but they've got to get other info too. So I'm no too worried about it. I'm careful when it comes to things like that. I never post cvs, only email to companies i know.

Pep1

Date of birth shouldn't be on your CV. It's questionable whether even your age should (Age discrimination) although they will have a pretty good idea by work history & education.
I would refuse to give my NI number to anyone until they have actually found me work. I would state that you can and will provide it when a job has been allocated to you.

briona

Wow, everyone's SO paranoid!

My take is that given the credit crunch no-one's going to be able to be taken for much, since it's getting far more difficult to actually get credit now!

Personally I'd be more concerned about Royal Mail mis-delivering one of my credit card statements which has my name, address, and full credit card number on it. Or losing my wallet with all my cards and my driving licence in it. Or losing my passport.

On a more serious note, as someone else has already said, a CV shouldn't have your DOB on anyway as employers are not allowed to discriminate against you on the grounds of your age. And I don't know anyone who'd advise putting your NI number on a CV! It's perfectly acceptable to simply have a phone number and an email as your means of contact rather than an address (employers can ask for it if they really want it) – mind you I'm using my sister's address on my current CV! (She lives in London, and I'm chasing contracts there so it looks better if I have an address in the area as opposed to my Wales address!)

DCFC79

Pep1 wrote: »

I would refuse to give my NI number to anyone until they have actually found me work. I would state that you can and will provide it when a job has been allocated to you.

do you not put the NI number on application forms for a job, why is it asked for on application forms ayway

CCFC_80

DCFC79 wrote: »

do you not put the NI number on application forms for a job, why is it asked for on application forms ayway

Again a very good point. N.I numbers are requested on several application forms, again perhaps if you are an employer on this forum or work for an HR dept - why you ask for an applicants N.I number, surely you only need this when you want to hire that person ?. They will then provide the necessary proof that they are eligible to work which should be a formality.

CCFC_80

Pep1 wrote: »

Date of birth shouldn't be on your CV. It's questionable whether even your age should (Age discrimination) although they will have a pretty good idea by work history & education.
I would refuse to give my NI number to anyone until they have actually found me work. I would state that you can and will provide it when a job has been allocated to you.

Unfortunately employment agencies are very hard work to deal with and all now insist on you immediately providing them with some evidence of your N.I number (payslip etc) when you register with them. Why they cannot do this if and when you are offered work is beyond me. I expect someone from an agency will reply that it saves them time when they do offer you any work.
Also I do not know why they need your bank account details for the same reason as quoted above. Surely this information is only needed if and when they offer a candidate any employment.

DCFC79

andy46 wrote: »

Again a very good point. N.I numbers are requested on several application forms, again perhaps if you are an employer on this forum or work for an HR dept - why you ask for an applicants N.I number, surely you only need this when you want to hire that person ?. They will then provide the necessary proof that they are eligible to work which should be a formality.

another question is should i put my NI number on an application form,

skylight

I have had CVs with everything - all the above including the town they were born in and their passport numbers. If I were a phoney recruitment company then I could have utilised the information quite quickly!