Over 75% of global employers detected candidate discrepancies during background screening last year. One in six has experienced confirmed identity fraud. Another 30% aren’t even sure if they have!
Roughly half of all employers may be hiring people who are not who they claim to be
In EMEA, education credential issues are flagged by nearly half of employers and employment history discrepancies remain the most common red flag across regions.
The most common fraud types:
- Employment history (around 70% of APAC respondents)
- Undisclosed criminal convictions
Yet only 60% of employers are conducting property ID verification!
This is no longer about “polished CVs.” It’s about recruitment processes being exploited at scale.
AI didn’t invent hiring fraud – it just made it faster, cheaper and harder to spot
With employers rushing to move candidates quickly, AI-generated resumes are flooding applicant pools. Yet the screening approach isn’t changing to match it.
The cost isn’t just financial, though compliance failures and negligent hiring claims are brutal. The real damage is trust.
- Good candidates compete against fabricated profiles
- Teams inherit risks they didn’t create
- Clients assume competence that may not exist
The bottom line
If you’re not verifying identities and employment history through professional channels, you could be gambling with your company’s future.
With 120 million background screens processed globally in 2024 alone (and the market growing 10%+ annually), systematic verification isn’t optional anymore – it’s survival.
So what can be done?
- Use professional ID verification services for all hires
- Post-hire monitoring (still skipped by over a third of employers)
- Accuracy over speed (tough when hiring pressure is high)
- Revisit training, teach those hiring to recognise modern fraud
Source: Hire Right (2025)
At TMR Recruitment, we’re not your typical recruiters. We don’t just find people jobs; we get them excited about their careers again. So, whether you’re ready to make a move or need someone who is, let’s chat. No fluff, just real opportunities. Get in touch to find out more.
