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Warning: Lying on your resume could cost you your job and your freedom.

Picture this. You*re sitting at your desk working away happily at a company you*ve been employed with for ten years. You*ve had several promotions and you*re now a Sr. Assistant Manager.

You*ve got your eye on a top management position, which everyone says you*re a shoe-in to get. Your future looks bright, indeed. So, when the boss calls you into the office for something extremely important, you assume it's going to be really good news.

Instead, it's your worst nightmare.

Your boss hands you a letter of termination, and worse, you*re told that you better get a lawyer. The employer is going to press charges against you for criminal fraud. Why is all this happening to you?

Suddenly it comes back to you. You lied on your resume ten years ago and did some funky things to back up your lie. Now it's finally caught up to you all these years later. But what's the big deal?

Lying on a resume isn*t a crime is it?

Umm . . . Yes, it is. In fact, it's a felony.

It's an illegal act to lie on your resume about your credentials and intentionally mislead an employer by using measures such as hacking into computer databases or using toll-free phone numbers to verify false information.

If you*re ever caught fabricating outright lies about your experience and qualifications, be aware that you could literally go to jail * even 10 years after the fact.

Getting caught in these types of lies may be easier than you think. Employers are doing more thorough background checking on potential employees and current employees applying for promotions. If you say you have a B.A. or a Masters degree, they won*t just take your word for it. Many employers will request a college transcript directly from your school to check if your statement is true.

So the next time you apply for a job either online or off line, remember that honesty is the best policy. By the way, it'll also keep you out of the slammer.