Following instructions from one of our clients to carry out a routine Employment Screen we initially undertook the credit searches and made contact with the prospective candidate’s current employer to obtain a reference.

Instead of accepting a bland answer we were able to speak with a manager who explained that the candidate was wanted for questioning by the police in connection with theft of personal data for sale to third parties.

We also ascertained that an accomplice was also a reference.
The candidate and her referee had stolen personal information including addresses, dates of birth, etc. of over 50 individuals to start up their own rival business and sell the information onto third parties. The rival business we ascertained had been set up at the address of our candidate and she was shown as a director.
The cost to our client ‘a household name’ could have been catastrophic.