Done something really silly

Paulywalnut

Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

I'm panicking as I've done something silly and given really bad advice. My ex girlfriend asked me to forge a reference for her, to which I said no. I wanted to help her but wouldn't do that. I suggested that she asked my employer for a reference, despite her not working there, as they don't keep track of volunteers who only come in for a few weeks and send a generic reference. She tried this but it didn't work. She again asked me for one, but I said i wasn't happy doing it. She suggested she may write her own, and I said they probably wouldn't check for a volunteer, but that she was best off getting a proper one and left it there. All of our communication was by email.

I've found out she is being charged with forgery, I assume she must have made one up and been caught. The police have checked her emails as she emailed the reference in but is denying she has forged it. If they've checked her mail, they must know of my bad advice. I'm worried that I can be done for helping, or giving her ideas. I also don't want my employer to know that I suggested she tried to get a reference from them when she hadn't been there.

thegirlintheattic

I very much doubt the police would charge her for sending a fake reference (unless there is something about the job you haven't let on about). While your advice was bad, you've comitted no crime.

Are you 100% sure the fraud charges are for the job? If someone is prepared to fake a reference they are probably prepared to forge other things.

Paulywalnut

Thanks for replying. The company which she forged a letter from have been the ones to contact the police and press charges. I'm not aware of the full situation as it hasn't came from her and I'm reluctant to ask her. We often work with vulnerable people, hence the voluntary positions she has had. I'm certain that its the forged documents she has been in the police station for, though not certain on what the outcome was. Am hoping that if I were to be contacted I would have been by now. It's been ongoing for around a month.

thegirlintheattic

If you work with vulnerable people then the police involvement is understandable (and serious).

However, as far as I'm aware, you yourself have not committed a crime.

prowla

So, she didn't follow your advice?
I don't quite see how you could be held culpable then.

Paulywalnut

Well, she did but didn't get a reply, so it wasn't followed through. I'm just worried that its their on the emails being suggested by me. I did say that they probably wouldn't check her reference, which they obviously did, but I didn't encourage the forgery which is the problem. I think I'm just worrying I can be blamed or if they think I forged the reference / signature. Or i's get into trouble with my company for my stupid suggestion. Hopefully I'm just over reacting!

PlutoinCapricorn

I have not heard anything quite like this before. Without full details we can't help very much, other than to say that learning all possible lessons from this incident is a good idea: being careful to get involved only with ethical people in future seems like a good idea for example. Some people are very brazen and don't care about living in fear of being caught, but you are obviously different and need to avoid possible trouble.

People who apply for and/or get a job may be rejected or suspended by their employers if it is discovered that they have lied about their past work or qualifications.

I wonder how the company discovered that she had forged a letter in their name? Perhaps a company she applied to approached them to verify the details. I would not expect them to call the police, but perhaps it is more serious then we know.

Is it possible that she might pass on your name as a witness or work colleague? As you say, time has passed and they are interested in the actual forgery not other possible unethical ways of creating references.

Paulywalnut

Yes it is how you've said: she applied for somewhere, they checked the reference and the 'referee' had never heard if her. She'd just signed a random name so the referee didn't even work there. They were the ones who contacted the police as she was using their company as a reference. i dont know if she made up stationery from them or anything like that. I shall definitely be more careful in future! I can't handle trouble. I felt I owed her a favour due to the break up really, didn't expect it to be this much hassle. She is very good at the jobs, I wouldn't have helped her with the work with vulnerable people if not. I just didn't realise how she'd go about it, which is a shame as she's probably blown her chance of a career with this. A big shame when she is so good and enjoys it. I'm not sure if I'll be brought in as a witness or not, I suppose it depends how far it goes.

art_for_arts_sake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwlogyj7nFE ?

Paulywalnut

Lol, good song

hunters

Wind up. This is not forgery