Avoid Giving PAN Card Details For Job Interviews

Today, many companies, including top IT companies and MNC (like IBM) ask people to give their PAN Card number along with their resume, for shortlisting for interview. As many people are desperate for a job in these times of recession, most people give their PAN Card numbers, even though they know that companies should not be asking for PAN card number, before hiring for a job. People suspect some hanky-panky. Well, what exactly is this hanky-panky that companies are up to?

Well, some companies, especially IT companies, need to show certain minimum number of employees, to get contracts from foreign companies or government agencies. They collect resumes together with PAN Card numbers, and show this to prospective clients, telling them that these are our current employees on our rolls. These companies have no intention of hiring anyone. They may call you for an interview, but don't conduct it, or conduct it in a lackadaisical manner.

For example, IBM calls people for an interview to their Gurgaon office, when you get there, they say go to Noida office, when you reach there, they say go to some other office in Noida. This is the way prospective job candidates are irritated, so that no interview is held, but the PAN details are collected. Placement consultants keep demanding the PAN number when they call you. When asked, they say it will be used as an identification number to process your application.

Companies can use any system of identifying candidates, or numbering them. Why ask for the PAN Card, which is a government document, whose number is not supposed to be given out? And then, not even holding the interview...This is my personal experience with IBM, that's why I can say it. They called me three times for the IBM interview and written test, and all three times changed the location, saying the concerned HR contact person was in the other office location, at the time. This is when IBM is supposed to be a leading IT company, in the computer and laptop manufacturing business...

Do not divulge PAN card number for job interviews

My friends later told me that companies that do this are actually doing some hera-pheri with the PAN card. While some may use your PAN Card details just to show strength of non-existing employees to prospective clients, others may use it for worse purposes like benami transactions, making you fake director of a company, buying property in your name, taking loans in your name (if they ask for photocopy of passport etc), and changing black money to white money.

Hence, please do not make the habit of giving your PAN Card number to companies, even MNCs, for job interview purposes. Companies are taking advantage of the bad job situation, to bully people and get them to divulge their PAN Card number and photocopies of vital documents. This can be used for various types of identity theft and other nefarious activities.

You can get into solid trouble with the Income Tax department for this. They will ask you questions, if they find anything wrong. So, please don't give your PAN Card details at the time of job interview to anyone. You can only give it to them when you are finally selected, for salary and income tax purposes.

Have you ever been asked for you PAN account number by a recruiter/HR/placement consultant to get selected for an interview? What did you do? Why do you think they are asking for your identity details?