Tackling CV fraud: Employers must be consistent with background checks

Employers are being urged to ensure they have robust and consistent screening processes in place to tackle CV fraud.

Global background screening provider Sterling is warning businesses as reports continue to reveal the prevalence of CV fraud in organisations.

The latest incident saw the Department for Education (DfE) hiring an individual who made false statements on his CV. Details of an Information Rights tribunal into the case of Johnson Kane – who was appointed as chief executive of the Education Fellowship Trust – revealed that his claims to have been a senior employee of John Lewis and on the board of the British Airports Authority were falsified. Reports also claimed that he lied about his qualifications in a previous role.

The tribunal claims that Kane cost taxpayers close to £1 million and “damaged the education of thousands of children.”

There have also been incidents seen in the healthcare system recently with a former NHS boss in Oxford receiving a suspended prison sentence after claiming a false university degree, and a senior radiologist lying about being a qualified GP.

Steve Smith, Managing Director, EMEA, at Sterling, commented, “Robust screening processes and confirmation of an individual’s previous work experience are crucial for a huge number of roles, regardless of the level of the individual,” states Smith. “There can sometimes be a tendency to view more senior professionals as trustworthy, which in turn can mean that CV verifications aren’t carried out in sufficient depth.

“In this particular instance, the impact of a lack of due diligence was costly, not only in terms of the financial loss, but also the effect of the school closures on the local community. Business leaders and employers need to take this example on board and ensure their organisation doesn’t face similar risks, particularly when the solution can often be simple.”

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