Lied about work history on CV - companies doing a routine background check now

I started my first job 3 weeks ago, they've just sent me background check forms(they do this with everyone joining the company).

I lied about working at my parents cafe for a year and a half. And I put them down as a reference, now they're asking for all my information(including this), with stuff like: contact details, job title, length of job, job duties.

I've only worked there a COUPLE of times when I was young.
Once I fill in the form with all the relevant details, they'll contact my references(parents) as one of them to confirm my details I've entered in, what else will they ask? (They're using an external agency).

I'll have to ask my parents to lie for me, I don't know how they'll react. What trouble can they get into? How bad is this? I shouldn't have done this.

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Reply 1

YoungAdviser

Original post by andytowns

I assume such work would be cash in hand with parents, thus they arent going to expect a paper trail, they aren't going to go through bank records or go through CCTV footage etc lol, not much they can ask other than checking with your parents that its the truth.

I wouldnt tell people they should lie, i know many people do it (rather they embellish rather than flat out lie about a role), but the reality is there isn't much they can do to find out you are lying within such a context providing the reference for such an "informal" role would lie for you.

Whatever happens, don't get in the habbit of doing it, there will be more serious consequences later in life for it.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by andytowns

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If your parents lie for you (including lying about the fact they are your parents) you might be OK.

If the checkers find out at the beginning of the conversation that your referees are your parents, they might refuse to accept them as references, before they find out about the lie. Though if you have obviously deceived, then see below.

If they find out you lied or deceived you will almost certainly lose the offer.

Don't lie in job applications. If at any point during your employment your employer finds out that you lied in a material way (and referees are material) you can be dismissed immediately without references and the employer could pursue a legal case for fraud (unlikely in part-time, summer type jobs, increasingly likely in professional rules, quite probable in any role that has strong governance).

Reply 3

andytowns

Original post by threeportdrift

If your parents lie for you (including lying about the fact they are your parents) you might be OK.

If they find out you lied or deceived you will almost certainly lose the offer.

People don't accept parents as referees? I think I have to put down the 'relationship' between myself and the referee, I'm putting down it as parent/owner.

I honestly don't know why I did this, it's a paid internship for 1 year. I'm never going to put that down on my CV ever again(as i'll have to apply for another job next year). I don't think my parents will be happy to lie for me, if they even will. I mean it will just be if i worked there, job title and duration?

Reply 4

RibenaRockstar

Go and see your line manager and say that the owner of the business where your previous work was is your parent, and will that be okay for the background check. If you worked there occasionally over the span of a year and a half, and your CV is vague enough that you could have meant that, you'll probably be fine.

Reply 5

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by andytowns

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No, not usually - relatives are not usually accepted as references. As old fashioned as it seems, the point of a reference for an employer, is to know that the Referee is prepared to stake their professional reputation on saying this person is a good employee. So if the employee is a first rate idiot, it is presumed the Referee will say so (or refuse to give a reference at all).

However, the greater general presumption is that family members will over-ride their professional judgement and lie if necessary, to give a good reference (strangely, just the case you hope for!). So generally, the family bond is thought to over-ride honesty, so a reference from a relative is meaningless, and therefore not usually accepted.

Reply 6

M1011

Best bet would have been honesty from the start, no?

Reply 7

Yux

of course your parents are going to be angry with you but relax as your their child i doubt they'll rat you out...JUST DONT DO IT AGAIN!!!

Reply 8

username877577

Original post by Yux

of course your parents are going to be angry with you but relax as your their child i doubt they'll rat you out...JUST DONT DO IT AGAIN!!!

I don't understand why the parents would be angry.
I'm not saying I would lie on my CV - but surely the parents would be willing to do whatever it takes for their children to find a job/internship even if it means lying a bit.

Again, not saying I accept that - but it's the truth?

Reply 9

Yux

i'd be angry if my child was going to start lying like this on his resume...lol, dont commit fraud

Reply 10

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Olympiad

Which is exactly why employers who are serious enough to pay for a company to do background checks will not accept family members (or people known on a purely friendship basis) as Referees.

Reply 11

username877577

Original post by threeportdrift

Which is exactly why employers who are serious enough to pay for a company to do background checks will not accept family members (or people known on a purely friendship basis) as Referees.

I understand that - I'm questioning why OPs parents would be annoyed about lying.

Reply 12

Good bloke

Original post by Olympiad

I understand that - I'm questioning why OPs parents would be annoyed about lying.

Surely that is obvious? They would see it as a loss of their own integrity. There are many (even most) people in the world that see integrity as important. And so do pretty well all employers.

Reply 13

username877577

Original post by Good bloke

Surely that is obvious? They would see it as a loss of their own integrity. There are many (even most) people in the world that see integrity as important. And so do pretty well all employers.

I see integrity as important too. But it's getting harder and harder to find a job that I've seen many parents pretending their child has worked for them or exaggerating the truth.
It's necessary though in order to do best for your child hmmmmm.

Reply 14

Good bloke

Original post by Olympiad

Well, as has been pointed out already in this thread few, if any, employers, are likely to accept a parent as a valid referee or to pay much attention to what one says, so such lies represent a loss of integrity for no useful gain. Lying in a job application, or in a reference, can be actionable, as has also been pointed out.

Reply 15

AnnaXO

I work at background screening company and we never accept family members as a reference. But lying on your CV isn't smart, it's soo easy to check things.

Reply 16

username1027456

I lied on my CV once. The employer told me he called up the place and they had never heard of me before. Awkward silence. Well it was nice meeting you, goodbye.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 17

andytowns

Original post by Yux

i'd be angry if my child was going to start lying like this on his resume...lol, dont commit fraud

I'm never going to do this again, It was completely stupid. Is this fraud? Are there any real legal consequences if my parents lie for me?

Reply 18

Good bloke

Original post by andytowns

I'm never going to do this again, It was completely stupid. Is this fraud? Are there any real legal consequences if my parents lie for me?

It is fraud, and the legal consequences can stretch as far as gaol. Read http://www.morganmckinley.ie/article/can-you-go-jail-lying-your-cv

and http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-jailed-for-lying-on-cv-that-she-had-a-levels-210835

and http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/the-cv-fibbers-who-play-the-lying-game-25972475.html

Reply 19

Yux

relax your parents wont rat you out, legally speaking it is fraud but i doubt the company will start considering taking you to court or anything crazy like that...even though you helped out at your parents place was it an informal job? i.e they pay you but its not as if you had to sign a contract, etc

you can read that if you want...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_fraud