Employers urged to be on the lookout for dead job applicants

Fraud prevention specialists are urging employers to be on the lookout for job applicants who are faking the dead.

Deceased impersonation fraud is now the fastest growing type of fraud in the UK, with over 70,000 cases recorded in 2004 and up to 100,000 expected this year. It accounts for around a third of all cases of identity theft meaning employers are more at risk than ever of unwittingly employing a fraudster.

Karen Webster is product director at deceased fraud prevention software specialist, Halo, which provides an identity screening service to businesses. She says checking applicants’ identities against deceased persons’ records should be a standard part of the recruitment process.

Applicants may be ’trading under a false name’ to cover up a criminal past, avoid detection for future criminal activity or simply assume the experience and qualifications of someone who has died. It’s amazing just how many people are prepared to try it.

The cost of employing someone who turns out to be a fraudster, dismissing them and then re-appointing someone else, far outweighs the cost of carrying out a check on every candidate.

All industries can be affected, but those storing personal, sensitive and confidential information are particularly vulnerable and should know exactly who is working for them.

Growth of the EU and an increase in the number of migrant workers in the UK means employers must work extra hard to verify identities and track down qualifications and references.

New technology including modern computers, scanners and printers mean it’s never been easier for sophisticated criminals to produce fake identification and certificates to fool employers in an interview.