CV Fraud on the rise in the UK

Have you heard of CV fraud before? Simply put, CV fraud is when potential job applicants fabricate or give false information on their CV. From, qualifications, previous jobs and even amending personal information such as names and their education.

So why are we looking into this today?

We have discussed the consequence of CV fraud in a previous blog post, but a recent supreme court ruling has now ruled that CV fraud can now be a prosecutable offence, with offenders having to pay back wages if it is proven that they have falsified details to an employer. It can now also be a jailable offence.

This recent ruling has come from a high-profile NHS case, where former NHS chief executive Jon Andrewes was proven guilty for falsifying information allowing him to work in prestigious roles within the NHS. He has been jailed and ordered to pay back £96000 to the NHS.

Stories such as the above, fully confirm the need for background and employment screening. Many companies choose not to perform pre-employment screening, however, just relying on a face-to-face judge of character and gut instinct can lead to a 50% hiring failure rate! CV fraud is on the rise in the UK, and getting the right people into the right roles remains of paramount importance.

Did you know that 1 in 5 people have lied on their CV? This has increased since 2021 when it was 1 in 6. Cifa is the leading fraud prevention agency in the UK. They have warned of the recent upsurge in CV fraud, with the most common cases found in the 16-24 age category and the 35-44 age category. Cifa also saw a 476% rise in false references in the first nine months of 2022.

The Threat Manager at Cifa has recently said that:

“Whilst it may seem like a harmless exaggeration, there are very serious consequences associated with CV fraud, which can open up a gateway to other types of offences including bribery and employee theft.

‘Employees who commit CV fraud can be vulnerable to blackmail or extortion from criminals eager to gain access to a company’s sensitive information in order to steal funds or commit further fraud. It also unfairly edges out those candidates who otherwise may have been more suited for the role.

‘Recent case law makes it clear that individuals who commit CV fraud can be taken to court and made to pay damages for unjust enrichment for the money earned through the employment period. They also run the risk of being added to the Internal Fraud Database, which can severely hinder their future employment prospects. It may be tempting to stretch the truth on a CV but it’s rarely worth it in the long run.”

The recent ruling regarding CV fraud gives employers further incentive to use employment screening as a critical way to minimise recruitment risks. It is always worth investing in the recruitment process to find the best potential employees and ultimately thrive as a business.

Background screening is an integral part of any recruitment process and it should be a vital step when hiring a new employee. One of the aims is to ensure you have full confidence in your potential new hire. Hiring a new employee is an important investment and investing in the wrong people can have a significant negative impact on your business.

People are central to every successful business and screening new employees allows you to make an evidence-based selection to ensure you hire the right person.

At CBS, we can help you manage the risks involved in recruitment, allowing you to employ the right people, for the right roles, faster. We offer a range of screening packages that can be customised to suit your unique requirements. Contact our team today to discuss our employment screening packages. We would love to talk to you!