Are Some BPOs Skipping Education Checks? How to Address Fake Credentials at Work

I need clarity on whether some BPOs are not conducting educational verifications at the time of joining. Will they take action if this is revealed later? Recently, I discovered that one of my colleagues is using fake graduation documents in the quality department. It is concerning to see individuals in undeserving positions, lacking the necessary capabilities to handle their roles. Eventually, a lack of knowledge will become evident, especially for an employee who was hired through a reference.

I would appreciate your thoughts on how to address this issue with the appropriate individuals who can take action. Currently, my reach is limited to the talent acquisition team of the organization.

Regards,
AB

Some BPOs don't take the verification process seriously. Had I been in your case, I would have sent an anonymous letter or email to the concerned authorities if there was something bothering me.

Please email the HR team at the organization and cc the recruitment head. Mention the documents that are yours and claim their validity, with supporting evidence. Provide them with your contact number and details so they can reach you. Taking action now is crucial to avoid being implicated as an accomplice to any potential scam later.

Anil Arora has mentioned the very clear gaps in what you posted. Unless these aspects are cleared, any action you initiate based on the half-informed suggestion(s) given to you by the members could land you into more trouble.

There's another glaring gap in what you mentioned. It shouldn't take any sort of educational verification to figure this out. Both you and the other employee are employees of the same company. Even if the company strength is high, HR usually has in-built mechanisms to check duplicate names, with photo IDs being just one of them. Since this doesn't seem to have been noticed or ignored by your HR, maybe this points to the possibility of complicity of your HR? If yes, then you need to tread very cautiously. Like (Cite Contribution) suggested, first put things in writing—and mark a copy to the Head of Recruitment and HR.

Also, indicate to your HR Head that you are planning to lodge a criminal complaint with the Police—usually such indication should suffice to correct the situation. But in the worst-case scenario [of complicity of HR], please be prepared to go to the Police.

All the best.

Regards,
TS

Understanding Recruitment and Verification Processes

The talent hunting recruitment procedure is not like that of government departments. To get clarity, first of all, you have to understand the difference between a certificate and knowledge, and education and a book.

A book is just a medium by which knowledge can be gained easily. A certificate is a piece of document bearing the points you have scored in an exam; an educational certificate is enough to define your competency. Education is a lifelong procedure, and every platform of life is a step of education, whether inside a classroom or under the open sky. Knowledge develops with experience, whether good or bad; both are required to polish knowledge. One can gain knowledge without sitting in a classroom and without taking reference from a book. For that kind of individual, their competency is their certificate.

The Role of Certificates in Recruitment

Okay, let's come to the actual point. Earlier, some organizations mentioned that if a certificate is found fake, the individual will be penalized. This is because taking reference from a certificate during an appointment not only indicates the educational proof of a candidate but also serves as a good identity, residential, and age proof, which are required for appointment. So, the meaning of verifying a certificate may be different.

No organization recruits a candidate based solely on educational certificates. If the candidate is capable of delivering the output that the organization expects, the candidate can be recruited. There is no value in a certificate if the candidate is not efficient according to the requirements of the organization.

Management Decisions on Penalties and Recommendations

Regarding penalties, punishment, or termination, these all depend on the management. If an employee is productive, no organization wants to let them go. As for recommendations, recommending is not bad if the candidate actually deserves the position and salary. If the candidate does not deserve it and gets the position, they themselves cannot continue for a long period.

Regards

Please submit your educational documents again and ask the employer to do the verification once more. The concerned verification company will verify whether they are correct or not.

Thank you,
Sunita

Importance of Document Verification in Companies

There should be complete verification of all documents and educational certificates. However, nowadays, companies are not taking it seriously. This could create problems for the company. There should be a strict process of verification of both experience and educational documents.

In the present scenario, companies consider it a waste of time. This negligence could prove to be costly for the company.

Regards,
Om Prabh
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Fake Experience and Degree Certificates: A Growing Concern

There are organizations that offer fake experience certificates and individuals who can provide fake degree certificates. However, a third person submitting your documents as their own within the same organization is not possible.

The only way this could happen is if they take your documents, scan, and Photoshop them. Even then, questions would arise as to how they obtained your documents and how you became aware of this situation. Without assistance from an insider in your organization or the college where you studied, this scenario is unlikely.

Investigating Claims of Document Fraud

If I were an HR professional receiving a complaint of this nature, I would investigate the legitimacy of your claim. As a police officer conducting an investigation into this matter, I would also explore the possibility of your involvement in assisting the other person in the past.

Steps to Take if You Are Innocent

If you are innocent in this matter, it would be advisable to write a letter to the HR department and the Recruitment Head. There is no need to remain anonymous. Anonymity is only beneficial when you are not the affected party. In this case, maintaining anonymity may work against you.