Lied on CV - Help Needed

SparkleDust

Hello Everyone and thanks for reading !

I am looking for some help regarding a colleague of mine who has confided in me today...

My colleague who I currently work with has told me that in the past she has lied on her CV, I don't know the exact details but she hasn't lied about any qualifications or anything and it was just lengths of employment and exaggerated sales figures etc....

She left her previous employer by choice and they had no idea at the time of her 'lies' , they have since found out and have told the previous companies about this (these are the companies she had lied about being at for a longer period of time)

She has been contacted by her ex employer and her previous employers to say that her actions have been reported to the police etc.

The job she is in now is the only job that she hasnt lied on her CV about....

I do feel like just telling her 'you have made your bed now lie in it'' but wanted to know is this actually a criminal offence and what guidance should I give her to solve it ?

Just not sure how the police would handle something like this or whether they would even bother over something that seems trivial albeit a bad thing to do.

Thanks for any help.

marliepanda

I doubt the Police will be involved unless it involves something criminal such as fraud.

She won't be able to 'solve it.' If she keeps this job I recommend she immediately edits her CV to be truthful.

If she loses this job I recommend she immediately edits her CV to be truthful.

SparkleDust

Thanks for your response, I don't know whether it would be classed as 'fraud' as she has gained jobs from lying on her cv and provided false references etc

Carl31

It is theoretically illegal as its fraud, im not sure anyone would really press charges unless her actions were severe and put the company or someone at risk

El_Torro

Yeah, it sounds strange that they've told the police. Sounds like she may have been doing something that required certain qualifications (e.g. writing contracts for example) and she lied about having those qualifications.

If all she's lied about is length of service and how much she sold I doubt the police care.

Maybe she's not telling you the full story?

SparkleDust

Hmm possibly, I think she just worked as a sales advisor in a call centre so no real responsibility I dont think.

I thought much the same that the police wouldn't really be interested and have bigger fish to fry but lilke you say maybe there is more to the story.

TELLIT01

I can't see that the police would be interested in somebody putting incorrect dates for previous employment. Providing forged references is potentially far more serious. I would advise keeping well out of it.

da_rule

When you say she's provided false references, what do you mean? She's written references herself and passed them off as independent references or she has provided names of people whom she hasn't actually worked for? If it's the latter then the person who provided the reference may also be in a bit of trouble.

Fraud by False Representation (Section 2 Fraud Act 2006) is committed if:
- Someone makes a false representation (her references and other lies on the CV),
- Dishonestly (she's lying so no real argument here),
- Knowing that the representation was or might be untrue or misleading (she knew she was lying),
- With intent to make a gain for himself or another, to cause loss to another or to expose another to risk of loss (she gained employment, potentially a better salary, benefits/perks).

It is probably unlikely that anything will come of it, but as you can see, she could potentially tick all the boxes for the above offence. I think a lot of people have inflated some things on their CV's or in interviews but I guess it depends exactly what she's lied about and what she has gained by telling those lies. I know she's gained a job etc, but there might be difference between gaining a job on £15k a year compared to gaining a job on £150k a year. Also, you say she hasn't lied about qualifications, but it could be argued that experience and achievements are qualifications in their own right and may have been the reason why she got the job compared to a candidate who had the same academic qualifications but not the same purported experiences or achievements.

SparkleDust

From what she said, she made up email addresses for the company and asked the employer to send the reference requests to these, then responded with the reference.

It sounds terrible when I write it, I feel responsible for her as we get on and she reports directly to me, I dont want to take it further but scared for her if the police get involved and charge her ? Dont know how bothered the police would be what with everything else they are busy with.

da_rule

Were the references she supplied your company with genuine? Do you have a duty to report this to them? If so, you need to think about this, or you could become complicit in things.

Also, were you involved with interviewing her? Did she only get the job because of her experience (i.e. were there potentially other suitably qualified candidates)?

SparkleDust

Our company only require one reference and that was genuine and has been confirmed as such,

I think I do have a duty to report but on the other hand I dont know what to do.

Her CV that was presented to us was genuine according to what she has told me , it is in the past that she has lied and provided false references which has now come back to bite her, therefore I dont know about IV processes etc in the past and wether there were other suitable candidates.