Web site offers phony references — and more
August 31, 2009 by Jim GiulianoPosted in: Hiring, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, References
The site is called alibihq.com. And, for a price, it can turn a stinker into a star.
The site unashamedly calls itself as the “alibi headquarters of North America.” Visitors can access a wide range of services, such as:
- Fake employment verification
- Fake job references
- Fake rental references
- Fake business, trade show invitations
- Fake doctors’ notes
The site used to be known only as a source for phony conference programs and phone screening to give people plausible cover stories. Now, however, it’s moving onward and downward.
Tags: Alibi Headquarters, alibihq.com, References
September 8th, 2009 at 9:03 am
If you go to the website now, there is a notice that states that the website was part of a social experiment. So, was it real?
January 16th, 2010 at 2:50 am
First, the chance of even pulling of a fake reference is getting much more difficult. Statistics show that most employers routinely contact past employers either themselves or through a background firm. A good background firm will typically independently establish if the past employer even existed, and locate a phone number independently of whatever number an applicant puts on their resume. A screening firm may not simply call the name and number provided by the applicant. Employment Screening Resources, (www.ESRcheck.com) for example, goes through an extensive procedure to verify that each past employer is legitimate and does not accept the applicant provided phone number or even teh existance of the past firm.
Even if the fake reference somehow survives the vetting process, it is hard to keep and live a lie, especially when you never know when the truth may come out. For example, a supervisor or co-worker may meet someone in your industry that somehow spills the beans. Furthermore, if a person gets a position they cannot actually perform due to a fake reference, it’s just a matter of time before they get a negative performance appraisal.
In addition, co-workers that suspect a fraud have also been known to do their own digging. Furthermore, most employers have employment applications that clearly state that if a person has lied during the application process, it is grounds for termination no matter when discovered. There is now statistical evidence suggesting that if a person is dishonest in the way they get the job, they the will likely be dishonest once in the job. Once a fabrication is discovered, the resulting termination and the inability to use the most recent employment on your resume can leave a big unexplained employment gap and impact future job searches.