Identity Fraud Was At An All Time High in 2017 - Here's How to Prevent It/Protect Your Company
Let’s talk about identity theft – it’s the biggest current threat to personal security in America, causing immense loss for both consumers and businesses alike. The sheer scope of identity fraud crimes is enormous; it touches every sector, every industry, and every level of business from the tiny mom and pop shop to sprawling global corporations.
Identity theft crime statistics are on the rise, especially for businesses. It is now a significant risk mitigation issue for recruiters, salespeople, and service providers in every sector, every level of business, and every niche.
As a business, it’s up to you to do everything you can to protect your
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How to Protect Your Company from Identity Fraud
To make this section easier to follow, we’ll break it up into two individual sections: how to protect yourself from consumer fraud and how to protect yourself from recruiting fraud. Look for practical tips within the bullets in each section.
Section One: Consumer Fraud Risks
There are two main ways consumer identity fraud can touch your business: either someone uses a stolen identity (e.g., stolen credit cards) to buy your assets, or an employee steals from a customer (directly or indirectly). Let’s address the issue of fraudulent purchases first.
Prevent the issue of stolen credit card use and identity fraud in service signups by making sales points and processes more secure. Install CCTV cameras at cash registers, require chip and pin technology for every sale, and be extremely cautious of repeat customers who use three or more cards for a single purchase.
If you take credit cards online, use an official payment processor like Authorize.net. When setting up your payment process, ask for the three-digit code on the back of the card every single time. Where feasible, turn off international credit card use
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This type of identity fraud happens for one of two reasons. Either the jobseeker has a severely negative job history (or no experience period) or they have something to hide (illegal alien; criminal past).
The single-most important strategy for reducing identity fraud in recruiting is to screen, screen, and screen some more. Never hire someone without running the most robust background search permitted by law, even if the job you’re hiring for seems minor or innocuous.
Work with a screening company who has E-Verify access. The E-Verify database, operated by the Department of Homeland Security, is the most reliable and thorough method of confirming identity available to employers to date. It has the power to reveal stolen identities, illegal aliens, potential terrorists, and many other forms of employment ineligibility.
Never assume everything on a resume (including references) is legitimate. As many as 50 percent of all employees admit to lying on a reference at least once. Employment, education, and reference verification is the best way to determine if what you’re seeing is