The Cleared Candidate Safety Checklist
Free PDF. Verify any recruiter in 2 minutes, know exactly what a real employer asks for and when, and keep your clearance out of the wrong hands.
Most job seekers worry about a recruiter who never calls back. Cleared job seekers have a bigger problem: the recruiter who calls too fast. A clearance makes your profile valuable to two kinds of people you never want in your inbox. Identity thieves want your SSN and your SF-86 data. Foreign intelligence services want to know who works on what, and US and UK counterintelligence agencies have publicly warned that fake recruiter profiles are one of their favorite tools.
Both start with a friendly message about a role that pays well. Both fall apart under a 2-minute check that almost nobody runs. This checklist is that check, plus what to do if you have already said too much.
What is inside the guide
The 2-minute recruiter check
Six checks to run before you send a resume to anyone new, starting with the one most scammers can't pass: a real cleared contractor has a CAGE code, and you can look it up on SAM.gov in 30 seconds. The guide also covers lookalike email domains, reverse image searches on recruiter headshots and the phone call that confirms a recruiter actually works where they say.
What real employers ask for, stage by stage
Legitimate cleared employers do eventually need your SSN. The difference is timing and channel. A stage-by-stage table shows what is normal at first contact, at submittal, at clearance verification, at conditional offer and at onboarding, and what should never be asked at each one.
8 scam patterns aimed at cleared job seekers
The "clearance processing fee," the fake check for home office equipment, the Telegram-only interview, the same-day offer, pay 30% above market, manufactured urgency, the lookalike prime contractor and the document grab. One rule never bends: you can never pay to get cleared.
How elicitation sounds, and the one-line reply
The questions that sound like recruiting but are really mapping your program, a word-for-word reply that ends the conversation politely, and why a quick report to your FSO protects you under SEAD 3.
An OPSEC-safe profile
What is fine to show on LinkedIn ("Active TS/SCI") and what to keep off it (program names, government customers on classified work, sites, deployment dates and teammates' names).
Already overshared? The same-day recovery plan
Credit freezes at all three bureaus, IdentityTheft.gov and IC3 reports, and why telling your FSO first matters now that continuous vetting watches credit and financial records.
The one sentence that matters most
A real cleared employer never needs your SF-86, your CAC photo or a fee to consider you, and anyone who asks for one at first contact is not a recruiter.
Scammers and intelligence officers count on the same thing: that you'll be too excited about the role to slow down for two minutes. The checklist gives you a routine, so slowing down doesn't feel rude.
Who this is for
Anyone holding or pursuing a Secret, Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance who gets recruiter messages on LinkedIn, by text or by email. That especially includes transitioning service members posting a profile for the first time, contractors between contracts, and anyone who has just added "Active TS/SCI" to a headline.
Search with people who verify first
Download the checklist free. HireClearedTalent matches veterans and cleared professionals with verified cleared roles and live recruiter support, free for candidates.
Disclaimer: General career and safety information based on public guidance from US and UK counterintelligence agencies, the FBI, the FTC and DCSA. Not legal advice. Follow your own security officer's reporting instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a cleared recruiter is legitimate? +
Check that the company has a CAGE code on SAM.gov, the email comes from the company's own domain, the job is on the company's own careers page, and the recruiter can be confirmed by calling the company's main number. If two of these fail, stop.
Do I have to pay for a security clearance? +
No. The government pays for background investigations, and only an employer or agency with a real need can sponsor one. Any "clearance processing" or "sponsorship" fee is a scam.
When is it normal to give a recruiter my SSN? +
After you have verified the company, and usually at the clearance verification or conditional offer stage, so the Facility Security Officer can check your eligibility in DISS. Send it only by phone or the company's secure portal,