People were faking details on their resumes long before our economy took a nosedive, but the last few years have seen a rise in resume embellishment and outright lies. Tough competition among candidates as a result of high unemployment has caused more people to lie about their credentials. As a result, unscrupulous entities have sprouted across the Internet, posing as institutes of higher education.
These so-called college and university websites can appear legitimate and may even have a “.edu” extension, making it easy to fool employers. However, they are in the business of selling fake diplomas and degrees, often awarded for nothing more than “life experience” and the right price. Many of the websites are fairly impressive, yet reading the fine print reveals what they offer is paper for sale. These are known as “diploma mills,” and they profit by helping corroborate resume fraud.
The Internet has also made it convenient to provide fake employment information on a resume. There are websites that will help a person fill in employment gaps with false information, for a fee. They may provide letters of reference, and even go so far as to offer a fee-based service to candidates, with telephone numbers and “personnel” of fake companies (or using the name of real companies) standing by to verify employment and provide references over the phone.
Resume fraud is a growing issue that all employers should be aware of. CNN.com reported (January 12, 2010) that George Gollin, a board member of the U.S.-based Council for Higher Education Accreditation, estimates more than 100,000 fake degrees are sold each year in the U.S. alone. A shocking number, to say the least.
Resume fraud can be detected with the use of a professional screening service such as what Hire Image provides. Our staff is trained to vet the false companies and information, and to take the necessary precautions to prevent you from becoming a victim of resume fraud. If you’re unsure of something you see on a resume that looks too good to be true, go with your gut and contact us.
