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5% of India's White-Collar, Gig Hires Have Discrepancies: Report

A new report reveals significant hiring discrepancies in India's workforce, with the gig sector showing a higher rate than white-collar roles. Employment history verification is the most frequent area of discrepancy for permanent employees, creating major organizational risks. In the on-demand sector, address verification poses the greatest challenge, especially in field-based roles. The findings underscore the need for companies to integrate continuous background checks into their core hiring strategy.

Key Points: India Hiring Fraud: 5% Discrepancy Rate in Workforce

  • 5.61% discrepancy rate in gig workforce
  • Employment history is top issue for white-collar roles
  • Address verification highest in telecom sector
  • Report calls for pre-offer screening
2 min read

Hiring discrepancies found in 5% of India's white-collar and gig workforce: Report

AuthBridge report reveals 5.61% discrepancy rate in gig workforce and 4.33% in white-collar hiring, with employment history checks being the most problematic.

"These are not minor inconsistencies; they have direct implications for organisational risk, compliance, and trust. - Ajay Trehan"

New Delhi, February 17

The AuthBridge Workforce Fraud Files for the first half of fiscal year 2026 show that hiring discrepancies continue across India's labour market. White-collar roles recorded a discrepancy rate of 4.33 per cent in background verification, while the on-demand or gig workforce reported a higher rate of 5.61 per cent. These findings are based on data captured across identity, employment history, education, and criminal record checks.

Ajay Trehan, CEO and Founder of AuthBridge, stated that these gaps remain a structural challenge for the industry. "The H1 FY26 Workforce Fraud Files clearly show that hiring-related discrepancies remain a persistent and structural challenge. Despite faster and more digitised hiring workflows, we continue to see gaps in fundamental checks such as employment history, address, and education," Trehan said.

Employment history was the most frequent area of discrepancy for white-collar employees, reaching 11.15 per cent. Address verification followed at 7.68 per cent, with education checks at 4.49 per cent and reference checks at 4.17 per cent. Drug screening and criminal record checks showed lower discrepancy rates of 1.87 per cent and 0.50 per cent, respectively.

Trehan noted that these issues affect more than just the hiring timeline. "These are not minor inconsistencies; they have direct implications for organisational risk, compliance, and trust. The data reinforces the need for organisations to embed background verification deeply into their hiring and workforce management strategies, rather than treating it as a one-time or post-hiring formality," he said.

In the on-demand ecosystem, address verification discrepancies were recorded at 9.70 per cent. Identity discrepancies stood at 2.53 per cent, and criminal record discrepancies were observed at 2.23 per cent. These figures highlight risks in roles that involve field operations and direct customer interaction.

Industry data shows that address discrepancies were highest in the telecom sector at 15.42 per cent, followed by IT at 12.02 per cent and pharma at 11.21 per cent. Employment verification discrepancies were most significant in retail at 16.37 per cent and telecom at 14.32 per cent. CV validation issues, which involve inconsistencies between resumes and verified data, were most prominent in the IT sector at 12.80 per cent.

The report recommends that companies start screening processes before making job offers to avoid restarting the hiring cycle if a candidate fails verification. It also suggests periodic screening and ongoing monitoring, rather than a single check at the time of onboarding, to manage long-term risk and maintain a credible workforce.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Not surprising at all. The pressure to get a job is so high, people often exaggerate their employment history or skills on their CV. I've seen it happen. But companies are also to blame for rushing the hiring process. Proper checks take time and money.
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Aman W
The telecom sector having the highest address discrepancy at 15.42% is shocking! These are companies we trust with our personal data and connections. This report should be a wake-up call for HR departments across all industries. Background checks cannot be a mere formality.
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Sarah B
While the data is concerning, I think we also need to consider the candidate's perspective. Sometimes address discrepancies happen because people move frequently for work, especially in metro cities. The system needs to be robust but also understanding of genuine logistical issues.
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Karthik V
Periodic screening is a great recommendation. A one-time check at joining is useless if someone commits fraud later. Companies need continuous monitoring, especially in sensitive sectors like pharma and IT. Trust is everything in business. 👍
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Nikhil C
Honestly, 4-5% doesn't seem like a huge number to me. In a country as large as India, some discrepancies are bound to happen. The focus should be on the criminal record checks, which are thankfully very low (0.5%). That's the most critical part.

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