The Flip Side of Global Verification – Trends in Qualification Fraud
Qualification fraud is a far more serious problem than many people appreciate and we at Qualification Check have seen it increase over the last year.
The consequences of employing someone who has lied about their credentials can have a devastating impact on individuals as well as the companies that employ that person. Australian media reported recently that a woman is under investigation for allegedly pretending to be a doctor after she was employed at a major Sydney hospital. The woman had apparently failed her medical exams and is accused of using false documentation to gain employment. She had worked for 8 months, treating patients before staff became suspicious.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-58170870
At Qualification Check we regularly receive details as to why an institution will not verify a claimed qualification. Reasons can vary but often relate to fraudulent activity on the part of the person being verified.
In 2020 we saw an increase in fraud rates compared to 2019, while the employment market was disrupted by covid.
In the UK, rates of non-verification remained steady at 2.2%. However, some countries demonstrated worryingly high fraud rates in comparison. Checks in the USA had a non-verification rate of 12.9% while the Netherlands returned a rate of 4.9% and Canada a rate of 6.8%.
Reasons for non-verification are numerous. CV fraud can involve the submission of false education certificates by candidates, that are either counterfeit, or stolen blank documents with genuine serial numbers, that have been purchased on the black market.
However, education fraud isn’t just an issue of false certificates. Other forms of CV fraud include:
- Candidates correctly claim that they attended an institution, but had either not attended or not completed the claimed course.
- Candidates correctly claim a qualification, but inflate their final grades.
- Candidates have not paid outstanding invoices for their education, meaning the institution is unwilling to verify any check made.
- Candidates have never attended a named institution to study for their qualification.
The methods used in education fraud has become ever more sophisticated, and the need for thorough verification of candidates’ credentials, more pressing.
As can be seen in the case of the Sydney hospital, failure to correctly verify an education credential could have serious consequences for both individuals and organisation.
Qualification Check assists with the primary source verification of academic, professional and employment credentials and professional licences. For further information contact [email protected] or call +44 203 897 0956 to discuss your requirements.
