With universities across the UK set to graduate imminently, creating an influx of job applicants & increased competition, new research has revealed searches for ‘recruitment fraud’ surged by 48% between May 2023 and April 2024 compared to the previous year.
But, how does CV deceit affect businesses in the UK? money.co.uk business insurance experts reveal what applicants need to know about the risks of CV fraud and tips for businesses on how they can tackle it.
What are the Risks of Lying on Your Job Application or CV?
According to surveys and search interest, lying on your job application or CV is relatively common in the UK. However, it can have serious consequences if you’re caught.
Should you be caught supplying false information to secure employment, you risk the possibility of criminal prosecution and being recorded in the CIFAS Internal Fraud Database. This will likely make it difficult to secure employment in the future. You could also face a financial claim from the employer.
Kyle Eaton, money.co.uk business insurance expert, provides tips on how to tackle recruitment fraud as an employer:
“The UK has a competitive job market, particularly during the cost of living crisis when opportunities are less readily available. In the current market, some job hunters may be tempted to lie on their applications to secure employment. However, as an employer, hiring the wrong candidate can have serious consequences.
“Fraudulent hires can lead to a range of negative outcomes for businesses. For example, taking on incompetent staff could trigger staff turnover. The most effective businesses invest in proactively preventing such frauds from occurring rather than waiting to fall victim.
“CV deceit often includes exaggeration of professional and academic qualifications, places of education, or previous experience and skills. As an employer, you need to have robust measures in place if it becomes clear that an employee has lied to gain employment.
“The first thing to do to prevent fraud is to know how to check the jobseeker’s identity and supporting documents. This includes in-depth pre-employment screening measures, such as:
- Open-source internet checks
- Contacting personal and professional references
- Checking any provided documents are genuine and valid (such as qualifications)
“Keep all your HR and recruitment teams up to date on the latest fraud trends and prevention tips through training. Some of the latest fraud trends include the use of AI to hide or mislead identities via deepfakes. Criminals can use AI to produce fake identity and right-to-work documents, which they sell to individuals who can’t secure them legitimately.
“Further information around fraud prevention can be found in the UK Government’s website and agencies like Action Fraud.”