There is a time and a place to give your employer your home address, social security number, and perhaps even your bank account information for direct deposit. But that time is not before you’ve had your first interview with the company, Levin emphasizes.
Likening it to a romance scam, Levin says, “They lull you into a sense of trust and come right at you.”
He continues, “The first time you communicate with a prospective employer, you shouldn’t be required to provide your social security number — and certainly never your credit card information.”
At some point, an employer will need your social security number to pay you, but not until after you’ve been hired.
Similarly, Levin says, “There’s no reason an employer needs your credit or debit card information. Handing them your debit card information is like just handing somebody cash.”
