One-in-five have lied about their university degree to secure employment

February 7, 2025
Rachael Tiffen, Director of Learning - Cifas

Nearly a fifth (18%) of UK people have lied on their CVs and job applications in order to land a role, or know someone who has, in the last 12 months – research from Cifas has revealed.

Nearly a fifth (18%) of UK people have lied on their CVs and job applications in order to land a role, or know someone who has, in the last 12 months – research*.

Its latest Fraud Behaviours Survey shows falsifying CV qualifications and supplying false information on a job application was the second ‘most common’ type of first party fraud (when an individual knowingly misrepresenting their identity or providing false information for financial or material gain). Additionally, 1 in 7 of those surveyed (14%) felt it was ‘reasonable’ to say they had achieved a 2:1 degree to secure a job, when in reality they had failed their final year of university.

Today (3 February) marks ‘National Sickie Day’ – when UK employees are more likely to be off work with illness. While many will have legitimate reasons for doing so, Cifas’ Fraud Behaviours research shines a light on people’s willingness to be dishonest.

However, when asked what they would do if they had discovered their colleague was dishonest about their qualifications, anonymously reporting it received a mixed reaction from respondents. A third (33%) said they would tell HR confidentially compared to 36% who would choose not to raise it, with the remaining 31% ‘unsure’.

Rachael Tiffen, Director of Learning and Public Sector, said: “First-party fraud is not a trivial offence – it erodes trust and carries significant consequences for those involved, including potential criminal charges and the risk of damaging future career prospects.

“When someone falsifies their CV to land a job, they won’t stand out in a positive way. Instead, they may be viewed as an ‘insider threat’ – someone who demonstrates dishonesty, raising concerns about their potential to continue deceiving others in the workplace.

“Dishonest staff members not only pose a risk to their employers, but they also endanger customers, colleagues, and wider stakeholders. To protect themselves, organisations should implement thorough checks across the entire employee lifecycle to identify and mitigate any fraud risks.”

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