Emailing personal details to agents

Savvy_Sue

paddyrg wrote: »

You can often tell more about a company with some deep research, but I agree you're wary to be suspicious of anyone wanting your passport. I'd refuse to provide it until after the first interview.

After, or AT the first interview?

We've just started asking applicants to bring their passports to interview, we then take a copy and shred it if we don't offer them the job. It saves them having to make a separate trip before starting, because our understanding is that we have to have that proof BEFORE they start work. And THAT'S because they are entitled to be paid for every hour they work, so if they turn up without the passport, and after a day or so we discover that the reason they haven't brought it in is because they are NOT actually entitled to work in the UK, they're still entitled to be paid but we can't pay them because they're not entitled to work!

We used to just ask the question, but decided it's more convenient all round to ask for the passport at interview. Sorry if that feels like a conspiracy to anyone ...

jobbingmusician

I have been thinking about this quite a lot. It's closely related to a problem on the match betting board, where bookies often ask for a copy of passport or driving licence, together with a copy of the card used to make the deposit. Clearly these could be used by miscreants, so the advice is often to block out key parts of the documents (using Paint or a similar programme.)

I think you could express your concern to the agency and send them a copy of the passport with the signature and possibly DOB blocked out, explaining the reason for this (email not safe). Tell them you will happily produce the original at interview. I would expect this strategy to work, and would accept it myself as an employer (unless the photo seemed not to match the in person presentation!)

Apa

I guess the main reason for my growing obsession is that five years ago about ten agencies existed. All - well known names. Now those are gone. Instead the market now is flooded with "Hello, I've got an opportunity for you" types. Some are single person companies or just an individuals who claim to know personally a business manager. And the high street companies are now refuse to recruit directly, they too use agents instead. Suffice to say anyone can call anyone and say 'I saw your cv/profile online and have a great opportunity for you, can we discuss your experience? previous rate? who was your manager? where about are you living? any holidays planned? I need a copy of your passport as a proof... etc.etc. I wonder if this recruitment business is being regulated and the candidate is protected from the sharks in the water.
They can use 'audit and compliancy' to mis-handle our personal information; they can use 'exclusive representation' and never submit our cv to block us and own competitors; they can use 'references' to annoy our former Employer by marketing. They can have the candidates in so many ways, so it is reasonable to write a book for candidates on how to handle them. I'll take a step...

I can't experiment and wonder if @jobbingmu suggestion will work and I can block DOB, signature and Home Office numbers in the passport copy for an agency?

Starlet

Apa wrote: »

I guess the main reason for my growing obsession is that five years ago about ten agencies existed. All - well known names. Now those are gone. Instead the market now is flooded with "Hello, I've got an opportunity for you" types. Some are single person companies or just an individuals who claim to know personally a business manager. And the high street companies are now refuse to recruit directly, they too use agents instead. Suffice to say anyone can call anyone and say 'I saw your cv/profile online and have a great opportunity for you, can we discuss your experience? previous rate? who was your manager? where about are you living? any holidays planned? I need a copy of your passport as a proof... etc.etc. I wonder if this recruitment business is being regulated and the candidate is protected from the sharks in the water.
They can use 'audit and compliancy' to mis-handle our personal information; they can use 'exclusive representation' and never submit our cv to block us and own competitors; they can use 'references' to annoy our former Employer by marketing. They can have the candidates in so many ways, so it is reasonable to write a book for candidates on how to handle them. I'll take a step...

I can't experiment and wonder if @jobbingmu suggestion will work and I can block DOB, signature and Home Office numbers in the passport copy for an agency?

Hi Apa

Unless if I am mistaken, I think that it is regulated, by REC. You can search the name of the agency here https://www.rec.uk.com/membership/member-directory

When recruitment agencies phone me, I first ask for their company's name and make a note of it. I then say that Im busy and cannot speak. When I have time, I check their name on the website listed above. If I cant find them on the website then I dont even phone them back.