Illegal job sites 'steal candidates' data'

Scam environmental job sites have been set up to gather information for identity theft or send fraudulent emails, it has been revealed.

According conservation group The Live Green, Live Smart Institute, such criminals are taking advantage of the increased interest in environmentally-focused jobs and the economic downturn to steal information from jobseekers.

Peter Lytle, executive director and founder of the organisation, commented: "We posted our own resumes on various sites and with various companies only to find out that the posted positions either never existed or had been filled months ago,

He added that most of the time the firm received no response and often ended up being put on a spam or pornographic e-mail list.

Mr Lytle went on to say that a number of positions posted as green jobs were not in fact in the environmental sectors and cited the example of one role posted as director of environmental and risk sales products at a life insurance firm, which really only involved selling life insurance to the jobseeker's own relatives.

Last month, online magazine Recruitment Consultant reported that cybercriminals hacked into Monster.co.uk's newly revamped website and Rob Scott, Director Aaron Wallis, wrote an article to help candidates stay safe when searching for a job - this can be downloaded at: http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/staying-safe-when-job-searching.php

Aaron Wallis offer hundreds of sales jobs together with some of the most comprehensive sales tips and career advice available to UK sales jobseekers. Achieve the sales career you deserve.

Filed: 23-02-2009