Resume Fraudster Sent to Jail for Lying on Job Application

Just when Adam Wheeler, the man convicted last year of fraud for lying his way into Harvard, thought it was safe to come out of the shadows, prosecutors in Middlesex, Massachusetts are asking that he serve his sentence as handed down by Superior Court Judge.

But, prosecutors aren’t just being petty, and they certainly couldn’t be accused of picking on Wheeler. Wheeler, originally ordered to serve 2 ½ years in jail, 10 years probation, pay restitution of more than $45,800, and to continue attending counseling for identity theft, resume lies, and other charges, appears to have forgone the lesson he learned (or should have learned) from his conviction in favor of the temptation of lying for profit once again.

Yes, Wheeler has taken the fraud route once again. He is an ideal model of why employment background checks are crucial.

Will Wheeler Ever Learn?
For those who don’t recall the story, Adam Wheeler, now 25, managed to weasel his way into Harvard by claiming to have had attended the prestigious Phillips Academy prep school in Andover and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Not one to fly under the radar to avoid detection, Wheeler, decided to shoot for Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships while at Harvard, citing co-authorship of several books, and by claiming to have taught numerous courses and lectures on what must have been an impressive application, with not your typical resume fraud. He was booted from Harvard in 2009.

With a never-give-up attitude, Wheeler dusted himself off and applied for admission to Stanford after his dismissal from Harvard. Stanford accepted Wheeler but also kicked him out after being alerted to his cons.

Caught Red Handed!
With a smile at his trial, Wheeler apologized to Harvard, his teachers, other students, and his friends. He also admitted to being “ashamed and embarrassed.” But, obviously, Wheeler wasn’t too embarrassed to give fraud another shot.

This enterprising young man now sits in jail awaiting a hearing in mid-November regarding the violation of his probation. So, did Wheeler, like so many other resume liars, stretch the truth a bit about his abilities or work history? Nope. Wheeler, in what can only be called an act of sheer arrogance, cited on a resume and in a cover letter that he attended Harvard University, a strict warning against which was issued as a condition of his probation.

It seems Wheeler lost his job over the summer and, in an effort to make his court-ordered restitution payments, he created resume lies to put himself in a better position than other applicants for the job. Just as he denied other students a position at Harvard, and then Stanford, Wheeler, once again, intended to deny someone more qualified than him the right to a position. This resume fraudster extraordinaire pulled out his pen and made some creative changes to his past.

The Lessons Wheeler Teaches
Wheeler may be a bit hard pressed to learn his own lessons, but he may serve as a shining example of why it’s important to tell the truth on a resume and, for employers, he highlights the need for performing a thorough pre-employment background check on each and every employee.

Potential employees lie. Not all of them, of course, but enough of them lie on job applications to warrant due diligence by employers. If Wheeler was the only individual to give resume fraud a shot, then employers wouldn’t have to look so intently for applicants who lie about a criminal past, tell tales about past employment, and present bogus educational credentials.

The reality for employers is this…
Resume lies aren’t going to magically go away. Because of this, it’s important for employers to protect themselves by partnering with a pre-employment screening agency with the experience to help employers protect themselves, and their employees, against the liability that can result from resume fraudsters.

Kevin Connell is Founder & CEO of AccuScreen.com www.accuscreen.com which has been providing pre-employment background checks on prospective and current employees since 1994. For additional Information & resources about Kevin Connell and AccuScreen’s services, please go to www.accuscreen.com or call AccuScreen.com (813)837-1920, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time

Are You Making Your Own Money?

We talk a lot about resume lies and even have an annual “Top 7 Resume Lie Report”. Our goal is to create awareness so you do not hire an applicant who seems like a fit but just lied to be a fit. We came across another lie that we would like to make you aware of and it is counterfeit money. Yes, something that has been going on for a long time, but still a problem. Here the latest report from FBI news.

Anti-Government Group Mints Its Own Coins

Money doesn’t grow on trees. It also can’t be printed or minted by private citizens—as four co-conspirators in North Carolina and Indiana recently learned the hard way.

Last month, the founder and “monetary architect” of an illegal currency known as the Liberty Dollar was convicted in North Carolina on federal charges of making illegal coins and selling them—at a profit—to compete with legal U.S. currency. Bernard von NotHaus, of Evansville, Indiana, was found guilty of making coins resembling U.S. coins; issuing, passing, selling, and possessing Liberty Dollar coins; issuing and passing Liberty Dollar coins intended for use as current money; and conspiring against the United States. Three others indicted in the case are awaiting their own trials.

“People understand that there is only one legal currency in the United States,” said Owen Harris, then-special agent in charge of our office in Charlotte. “When groups try to replace it with coins and bills that don’t hold the same value, it affects the economy. And consumers were using their hard-earned money to buy goods and services, then getting fake goods in return.”

It all began in 2004, when our Charlotte Division learned that a customer at a North Carolina financial institution had tried to use silver coins that were not legal U.S. currency. Our investigation revealed that the coins came from the National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve and Internal Revenue Codes (or NORFED), headquartered in Evansville, whose mission was to return the country’s monetary system to gold and silver. The president of the organization was Bernard von NotHaus, who marketed his currency as inflation-proof, claimed it was backed by silver and gold, and said it could be used to compete with—and limit reliance on—U.S. currency.

Our investigation, which included an undercover scenario, revealed that NORFED contracted for the minting of about $7 million worth of Liberty Dollars in Idaho. The organization also took orders and payments from customers for Liberty Dollars and organized “Liberty Dollar University” sessions to help educate people interested in selling, buying, or using the currency. There was even a Liberty Dollar website.

NORFED used several groups of people to get its illegal coins into circulation:

Regional currency officers marketed Liberty Dollars in their geographic areas.

Liberty Dollar associates paid a $250 membership fee and received 100 Liberty Dollars, plus instructions on how to market the currency.

Recruited merchants and business owners accepted Liberty Dollars in exchange for goods or services and handed out the coins as change.

During the course of the investigation, the U.S. Mint issued a press release warning that the Liberty Dollar was not legal tender and that the Department of Justice had determined that the use of these coins as circulating money was a federal crime. This press release was sent to known NORFED regional currency officers. Despite the warning, though, NORFED and its officers, members, and associates continued to break the law and circulate the illegal tender.

As with many of our other cases, we didn’t work this investigation alone. Providing tremendous assistance was the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Treasury’s Office of Inspector General for Tax Administration, North Carolina Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Mint.

Professional License is this weeks Top Resume Lie

Becky Nadine Hunter worked as a registered nurse in Alaska from 1998 to 2004, working first as a school nurse with the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, then for the U.S. Department of Labor. After an investigation by the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Postal Service, Hunter was arrested, convicted of mail fraud and other crimes, and ordered to serve an eight-year sentence and repay her former employers the more than $18,000.00 she earned as their employee. Hunter and her attorney argued that she shouldn’t have to repay the money because she actually performed the services of a registered nurse.

Where’s the problem? After all, if Ms. Hunter, as a registered nurse, performed the duties of a registered nurse, why should she be forced to repay her employers?

Because Hunter isn’t, and never was, a registered nurse.

Upon moving to Alaska in 1998, Hunter devised more than 20 aliases in order to defraud her employers, creditors, and the federal government. She obtained nursing licenses in Alaska using the personal information of real registered nurses in New York and Canada. Hunter and her attorney argued that she should not be required to repay her former employers because she actually did work as a nurse.

The court ruled that Hunter had to repay her employers because they were the “victims” of her fraud. However, Hunter’s victims could have easily been the hundreds of patients she had direct contact with during her illegal tenure as a medical professional. Her fraud, and her employers’ lack of due diligence when investigating her professional credentials, left numerous individuals and their families open to harm.

As an employer, the only way to guard against cons like Hunter’s is to ensure that you perform a thorough background check of each employee you intend to extend an offer of employment.

Such a background check should include not only calling and verifying previous employers, but also a criminal records check and a credential and professional license verification. Never take a job candidate’s word or accept credentials presented by that individual directly. Always require that professional licenses be verified through the issuing authority.

Although, in this case, Hunter used the identities of real registered nurses to obtain employment, a combined check, including a background screening requiring fingerprints and a professional license verification would have quickly uncovered a suspicious discrepancy. Employers must take care to be as thorough as possible in their employment screening efforts to ensure that they and those they serve are safe.

Top 7 Resume Lies – Dates of Employment

AccuScreen creates an annual Top 7 Resume Lies Report. This year we have decided to go one step further and break each resume lie down for you. Over the next few weeks we will be featuring one of the top resume lies for the week.

This weeks lie is “Dates of Employment”

It is somewhat common for people extend the from/to employment dates on their resume to cover up gaps in their employment history, even small ones. After all, hiring managers want to know why a job candidate has such a gap. No applicant wants to be put in the hot seat, trying to adequately explain themselves.

There are many reasons for such gaps. Could be that the applicant took time off from work to raise a family. Maybe a parent was ill and needed round-the-clock care. Perhaps the candidate was fired from one position, and the next position was a long time in the works. Whatever the reason, job applicants will go out of their way to avoid having to explain why.

But, from a hiring manager’s standpoint, that “why” can be a big deal. In the worst case scenario, a potential employee that lies to cover up gaps in employment may be hiding a far more sinister reason than a much needed mental health break. Some reasons for doing so may even be criminal.

The job search process for convicted criminals is a tough one; far harder than for the average citizen. This is obviously because many employers won’t even consider a convicted criminal for employment, regardless of the crime. For this reason, many convicted criminals, especially those who were incarcerated, will cover up their incarceration by fudging the dates on their resume. Although the applicant may believe this is the only way he or she can level the employment playing field, employers may open themselves up for any number of liabilities after hiring such an individual.

The right to make an informed decision aside, hiring managers need to know the legal status of the people they hire. People who lie about the dates of their employment:

• Waste the time and money of potential employers

• Put employers and fellow employees at risk if they have a criminal background

• Clearly display a lack of ethics

• Rob hiring managers of the right to make an informed decision

In an ideal world, all job applicants would be completely honest on their resumes. However, since this is not the case, employers must implement a hiring policy that includes thorough vetting of a candidate’s resume as well as a criminal background check before an offer of employment is extended.

Press Release- AccuScreen “16th Annual Top 7 Resume Lies”

In A Tough Job Market, Resume Lies Reach New Levels Of Absurdity, Reports AccuScreen.

As job seekers have become more desperate, the number of people lying on resumes and job applications has spiked to 46% according to

AccuScreen’s 16th annual ‘Top 7 Resume Lies’ report.

TAMPA, FL — Resume lies, falsification rings, diploma mills, and a host of other outrageous tactics have reached record levels as the job market tightens. For 16 years, AccuScreen, a leader in employment background screening, has recorded trends in resume falsification. According to internal data, 46% of people present false information on their resume or job application — a 3 point increase over 2008.

“The unemployment rate has risen to historically new levels. As people have become more desperate, the lies have become more creative, harder to trace, and ultimately, more detrimental for employers,” said Kevin Connell, CEO of AccuScreen.

AccuScreen publishes an annual ‘Top 7 Resume Lies’ report and offers it free of charge to employers. From buying credentials from diploma mills to exaggerating past experience and pay, the report reveals the red flags hiring teams need to be aware of when screening applicants.

The recently released ‘Top 7 Resume Lies’ report is now available free to download.

According to Kevin Connell, the most common resume lies involve:

• Falsified employment dates to cover up gaps or jobs from which the applicant was fired
• Exaggerated job titles and responsibilities
• Fake experience at ‘ghost’ companies
• Covering up criminal records
• Inflated salaries
• Falsification of education credentials
• Falsification of professional credentials

Connell says that these lies can severely chip away at the integrity of an organization. At best, employers can overpay for unqualified people that erode the position of a company in its industry. At worst, frauds can con their way into companies and gain access to trade secrets and financial information.

“Employers must be vigilant about screening who they allow into their company. Job seekers too must be aware that employers are scrutinizing their applications and resumes more than ever — embellishing doesn’t impress, it’s a sure way to quickly lose your candidacy for the position,” said Connell.

To download the ‘Top 7 Resume Lies’ report, visit AccuScreen at http://www.accuscreen.com/.

Kevin Connell is available for comment on this subject. For interview inquiries, contact Sue

Marriott at 1.800.689.2228 ext # 1100 or suemarriott@accuscreen.com.

About Kevin Connell:

Kevin G. Connell (http://www.accuscreen.com/about/our-president-ceo/) is a renowned professional background screening expert, he is recognized for his expertise on employment background screening, criminal record checks, workplace fraud, embezzlement, employee theft,resume fraud and negligent hiring in the workplace. Connell has spoken at numerous business, security & human resources conferences, including twice providing testimony before the Florida Supreme Court. He is widely quoted, has had several articles published in magazines, has been featured on television, including ABC-TV “Money Matters,” the Fox News Channel and has been interviewed on more than 126 live talk radio programs. Connell is a former founding Director of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS); he served on the board from 2003-2005.

About AccuScreen:

Since 1994, AccuScreen.com has been an industry pioneer, leader and expert in employment background screening, specializing in criminal background check services, education verification, license verification, and other essential pre-employment screening services. Its reports are delivered to companies across the world in 2-72 hours.

Media Contact

Sue Marriott

suemarriott@accuscreen.com

410 S. Ware Blvd. Suite 607

Tampa, FL 33619

1.800.689.2228 ext # 1100

http://www.accuscreen.com

Outrageous Resume Lies, Frauds, and Employment Scam Artists Revealed in Free Webinar September 9th

Liars, con artists, and employment scammers are about to have their cover blown in a live webinar hosted by professional background screening expert Kevin Connell. In this free interactive webinar, Connell will share real stories of outrageous resume lies and reveal insider secrets of employment scam artists.

TAMPA FL — Today’s most prosperous liars, con artists, employment scammers, and the fraudulent websites that aid and abed them are about to have their cover blown in a live webinar hosted by professional background screening expert Kevin Connell.

In this free interactive webinar, Connell will share real stories of outrageous resume lies and reveal insider secrets of employment scam artists. Actual names of websites that help con men and scam artists achieve their goal of robbing employers of millions of dollars and trade secrets will be revealed.

“This webinar is a ‘must’ for anyone involved in the hiring, recruiting or staffing of new employees. Have no dissolutions — there are con artists and scammers working the hiring system to rob businesses blind. Knowing what to look for is essential to avoid employment scams and to protect the precious assets of the business,” said Connell.

According to Connell, professional con artists aren’t the only ones lying on resumes and job applications to try to weasel their way into companies.

“When the economy recedes, job applicants tend to lie more. 43% of the job applicants that we do a background check on come back with a discrepancy,” said Connell.

These resume lies, often centered on inflating credentials or hiding criminal history, can chip away at the integrity of a company. The webinar will show employers exactly how to spot these resume lies that can allow unqualified and potentially dangerous people access to the organization.

The webinar will take place on Thursday, September 9th 2010 at 11am Eastern Standard Time.

Attendees can register for the free webinar online at:
http://www.accuscreen.com/media/webinars.

After registering, participants will receive a link to view the live webinar online. Space is limited. Those interested are encouraged to register quickly to reserve their space.