Emailing Social Security Number? Driver License?

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VIDEODROME
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12 Jun 2016, 5:25 pm

I found a lead on an interesting job that would be delivering manufactured vehicles by driving them to the customer. They emailed me the application asking me to print it, fill it out, scan it, and then email it back including scanned pictures of my Driver License, Social Security Card, and my Passport.

I'm interested in the job, but it bothers me that they don't care about an applicants personal data. All of this stuff could go through the internet and then sit in their email account for years.

I'm deciding whether to try and create a password protected PDF or insist on sending it by FAX. I'm just picturing them wondering what the fuss is about. :?



beakybird
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12 Jun 2016, 5:38 pm

Have you properly researched the company?

Are you dealing with a recruiter or employment agency? If so this procedure is relatively commonplace, albeit admittedly sketchy. If it's for a direct hire it sounds somewhat suspicious.

Is this job out of state? Do you have any physical interaction with any office or job site? I mean, you're picking up these vehicles at some location correct?

Do some research and see if anyone has had issues. Also don't let paranoia stop you from a good job opportunity because a lot of identity theft can be fixable anyway, and it's not really a big fear if you have little in the way of credit rating or assets. You can always try checking your credit report in a month or two or use a credit monitoring sevrice for a bit of you are that concerned.



AuroraBorealisGazer
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12 Jun 2016, 5:47 pm

This sounds highly suspicious. They could easily steal your identity with those documents and I would strongly advise against providing them at this stage in the hiring process. Use caution when applying to jobs. I've found 25-35% of them to be scams in disguise.



VIDEODROME
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12 Jun 2016, 5:50 pm

They have a website, but I would prefer if I could find more reviews. http://www.aatransport.net/

I did find 1 negative review from a driver, but I'm not ready to dismiss the company just on that.

Their main office is in another state in Minnesota, but I think they have a small office or contact person at the manufacturer I'll be driving vehicles from.

Basically, I have some truck driving experience, but I'd rather not do that again so I'm looking for alternatives. I'll probably finish this application, but also insist on sending my data securely. I don't necessarily think the company is a scam, but I think sending this kind of information over plain email seems unsecure and kind of naive. It could sit in their email account for years and be vulnerable if their password was stolen.



beakybird
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12 Jun 2016, 6:04 pm

VIDEODROME wrote:
They have a website, but I would prefer if I could find more reviews. http://www.aatransport.net/

I did find 1 negative review from a driver, but I'm not ready to dismiss the company just on that.

Their main office is in another state in Minnesota, but I think they have a small office or contact person at the manufacturer I'll be driving vehicles from.

Basically, I have some truck driving experience, but I'd rather not do that again so I'm looking for alternatives. I'll probably finish this application, but also insist on sending my data securely. I don't necessarily think the company is a scam, but I think sending this kind of information over plain email seems unsecure and kind of naive. It could sit in their email account for years and be vulnerable if their password was stolen.


I'm sure if you dropped off the info at that office, it'd ultimately be scanned and likely emailed anyway to the HR department. You're stuff will end up in an email because that's how they send things around from department to department usually. I understand the concern, but it's sort of unavoidable in many circumstances.



VIDEODROME
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12 Jun 2016, 7:19 pm

I'll probably FAX it, then it's out of my hands at the point.



VIDEODROME
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14 Jul 2016, 4:40 pm

I found a tool to send this as Password Locked PDFs. So even if the documents sit in their email account, they'll be locked. I think sent the password separately.