Thursday, November 29, 2012

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?

40 comments:

  1. even we think its an unethical practice, so we asked our readers for their views!!

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  2. I cant believe this but is this true? They asked my pan no. i sent it thru mail and asking for scan copy now telling that it is must for processing even my resume.

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  3. but if they deny to process ur job apllication whats ur choice u have to share in tight market situation whats your opinion i personally faced this reply

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  4. I got a mail from an employer asking me various details along with PAN number. Thanks to your blog, I did not provide my PAN details in the mail..
    Thanks!!

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  5. OMG, how these kind of activities happening. Thank you for sharing your info.

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  6. I got a call from consultancy for IBM and same asking for pancard ;)

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  7. I have been receiving lot of emails asking for pan card just to arrange for interviews but somehow I felt it was not correct why should I give them pan card details when it is something to do with my identity .Just searched Google and came across your link now my decision is all the more firmer.Thanks Again.

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  8. You have shared a very good info. recently I have got a call for interview. They ask my PAN no. As i was desperately looking for a job I provided that. but no call came for interview. Then I smell something wrong, but could not do any thing as i have already provided the PAN no.
    Today 15/05/2014 again some consultancy ask for the same but I refused. now after reading this article I feel I have done right. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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  9. arrey yaar even i have sent pan number for ibm interview how to take this further legally help me.

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  10. Thanks a lot for this information. A recruiter from Accenture is pestering me for my PAN and I almost mailed it too, but then I did a Google search and came across your blog entry. It doesn't make sense, asking a person for such sensitive information. Can't we complain somewhere?

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    Replies
    1. Same... I'm about to mail but I got doubt so I Googled and I found this... Can I share remaining details except PAN card?

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  11. Great dude.... with this post u can help lots of people who are just like u and me ... From now on i also share experience so that other people wont get harm as i faced .......bro Seriously thumbs up

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  12. I was also asked about my possession of Passport and Pan card on a phone call. And I was asked to give Pan number. But I thought it's suspicious. Because any one can call you from any number and asking for your pan card number for reputed company's job application. So I asked for some time and told to call later. I talked with my friends and they also suggested me not to share Pan card number. Then they called me and I strictly refused to give Pan card number. After that I am still receiving such phone calls asking for Pan card number for job application in a reputed IT company.

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  13. i got a call from accenture for interview and they asked my Pan . i said i wont give, later second time they called about interview and asked my Pan(but different person spoke to me). still i told them clearly that i wont share. but the caller said that she cant proceed if i dont give, i said it ok i m not bothered. But she said she will send a email and want me to confirm. i said ok, but after reading this i link i wont reply to her. Thanks for your blog.

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  14. Thanks to this blog now I know what scam is going on. I did suspect this but who will question the HR of his/her future company? ..
    I will not provide such information to any company in future.
    Thanks

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  15. uff, just send my pan card copy for scheduling ibm interview. after sending i visited this blog. is there any way to complain this?

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  16. is mandatory for tcs company giving pan card number?

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  17. Just had a call from someone who wants to hire for TCS BPO in Pune. They said its a "company policy" and they will only process the application if I share my PAN. When I shared my reservation about this, the lady said she will share the screenshot of the candidate hiring application where this detail is necessary.

    I don't trust these things.

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  18. I just call today Jan 31/2017 from pyramid consultancy telling they have position in mindtree malaysia. Then lady asked my pan no. I got suspicious and told her I can't reveal my pan no. Then she asked me exact full name and then date of birth.
    I refused to give pan and date of birth. Pan card, full name, data of birth is all personal details.These should be given to trusted people only as there is scope of doing identity theft or misusing information.

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  19. if we provide PAN details during interview / recruitment.. then
    what will be happened..??
    Is there any chance to misuse it..?

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  20. I too got a call today for the same.she asked it for TCS. some diverselync consultancy. I gave it to her.now regreting. Can anyone suggest what can be done now if it is already given.

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  21. Everyone stop sharing Passport and PAN details then it will stop automatically. Take any low pay or just any job but don't play with your ID details as these errors on one's part could create some serious trouble. This is going on even today..3rd party firms call and ask for PAN for IBM interviews and passport for Tech Mahindra interviews. Highly suspicious on the part of these recruiters. Stay safe don't give PAN, passport just the way you don't do unprotected sex without condom. Say yes to condom NO to PAN/Passport to these recruiters.

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  22. Got a call from Samsung, asking me to give my PAN number to 'process' my application. the PAN number along with my email will be required to create my candidature profile on their company recruitment system where i can track my candidature from. Sounded fishy to me and HR is telling me i'm being 'too sceptical'.

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  23. Same here. ..never shared it.

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  24. Thanks for this blog to alert others!

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  25. Thank you for this blog to alert others Its happening very commonly!

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  26. Whoa. This post has been extremely helpful. My experience is
    that I am a fresher & I don't know the exact procedure for these MNC's. Now a Consultant called me and I gave interview there in which I was selected. Now they are asking for my pan card details & I was almost going to give them but I just landed on this page before doing that. Now I must ask them if they can do the process without my aadhar & pan details. If not then I will take another job. it's better to be safe then sorry

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  27. Just now I got a call from a consultant asking for PAN details. I really felt fishy and read this.
    Thank you so much for spreading awareness among people as these days people are misusing the vulnerability of the unemployed

    Regards
    Unemployed Candidate

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  28. I got a call from Unitforce technologies, for a job interview at IBM, Bangalore. They told me to share my pan card photo with them to proceed my resume to the company. I asked them for what reason they want my pan card photo, they told me for identification. Thanks to this blog, i haven't sent my pan card photo.

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  29. PAN card is absolutely not required by the companies for identification. How else were they doing it for all these years??

    They can not identify me by my photo on pan card which was taken when i was 18 years old. Which crack pipe are they smoking makes such outlandish claims?

    Why do they want to track my details without the conducting the interviews and without shortlisting me?

    It is a gimmick for getting your personal details and building up their databases and who knows what they are doing with the data, how its protected and how it's shared with contractors, etc.??

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  30. I was asked for my PAN card details by Concentrix to check my experience at IBM. I gave my PAN number but din give my date of birth thinking something is not right. I did a Google search on this topic and came across this page.Thank you for sharing your experience. It certainly helped to clear my doubts. I will share this with my friends and groups .

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  31. Sharing your pan card number is not a big deal ... frankly PAN card number can confirm your identity or your cibil score or financial status like your defaulter or not in bank or financial institution...nothing can be done with pan card ... because it's not possible to fo money laundering or Benami transaction unless you provide your bank details...so don't worry abt that ....and as to Company showing there fake client potential to other to get contract this possibility can not be root out ....

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    Replies
    1. It is personal information and can be misused. Ofcourse it is a big deal.

      Delete
  32. Today 19-08-2020 got a call from persistent systems and recruiters was asking for pan card details before scheduling the interview. When I denied she told me that we cannot continue without pan card, it is mandatory to check whether candidate are fake or not, After all this drama I strictly said I will provide once I will be selected and when you will release offer. She just said thank you and hangup the call.
    My decesion was good not to provide pan details to anyone unnecessary.
    Please be alert guys. Take care

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  33. I received email and calls around from 5 to 6 MNcs and they asked me for pancard details. i was wondering till now why they need pancard details but now its clear.

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  34. What can/cannot be done with your PAN is what only scammers know. It is ethically (if not legally in India) wrong to ask someone's ID proof on call before interview process. Person has shared so much detail in Resume including location, education history, work history, name, phn number that is at least enough to proceed with interview process. Strange that these reputed companies like Accenture are asking such details before even the interview call - and that too they did not agree in my case when I offered to fill it on Accenture's official website. They wanted it on call or email only. So strange... full of suspense!

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  35. Except Bank no bastard has authority in asking PAN details.criminal case can be lodged.

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  36. Thank you, just now got a call from a consultancy asking PAN number just to process my resume, I asked her time to think and searched this, Thank you for the notifying

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  37. I got call today and they asked for PAN details but i refused, then suddenly something striked fishy then i report and block the call.but im afraid bcos before once i did this mistake where they said they are going to process mine for interview so they definitely need the details.in eager i provided at that time.now am worried on it.anyways to file complaint.

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