Two years into the Digital Scheme, one truth has become impossible to ignore: fraud doesn’t sit still. As Right to Work processes have moved online and become more sophisticated, so too have the tactics of those trying to bypass them. What employers are up against today looks very different from what they faced just a few years ago, and it’s still changing.
When EU ID cards were removed from the list of acceptable documents in 2021, we saw a sharp drop in fakes. But that didn’t mark a victory. It simply signalled a pivot. Fraudsters shifted their attention to Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), which quickly became one of the most forged document types in the lead-up to their own exclusion in 2022.
Once BRPs were off the table, fake British and Irish documents filled the gap. According to data from TrustID, they now make up more than 80% of the fraudulent documents detected. That’s no coincidence. These documents carry the promise of unrestricted work rights - and that makes them valuable.
Not all fraud involves counterfeit documents. Increasingly, the issue isn’t that the document is fake, it’s that it belongs to someone else.
This is particularly true for share code fraud. Genuine codes can be obtained and shared with ease, but if the person using it doesn’t match the photograph returned by the Home Office check, it’s fraud. And unless the employer is actively comparing the photo, it can go unnoticed.
In 2023, over 70% of imposter attempts identified by TrustID involved real passports. The documents were genuine. The people using them were not.
It’s easy to assume that digital checks make fraud harder. And they do - when they’re used well. But digital doesn’t mean infallible. Fraud has adapted to the tools. Employers now need more than technology, they need scrutiny, expertise, and the right questions being asked.
The consequences for getting it wrong haven’t changed: fines, reputational damage, operational disruption. But the way fraud presents itself has become harder to spot.
The good news? As fraud tactics evolve, so too does our ability to detect them. Tools like facial biometric matching and document validation are becoming more advanced, and so too our ability to identify and adapt to emerging fraud trends. Take share code fraud for example. At Giant Screening, when the share code is processed, the selfie image taken during the journey is matched against the output from the Home Office, which then verifies true likeness. Paired with trained analysts who can detect subtle signs of tampering or impersonation, this approach gives employers a real edge in the fight against fraud.
Ultimately, defending against fraud isn’t about keeping up, it’s about getting ahead. That means understanding the latest trends, recognising new vulnerabilities, and partnering with providers who don’t just follow the rules but stay close to the data.
Giant Screening can support you in creating a robust and compliant screening process, with core elements like Right to Work and criminal record checks forming part of a wider, trusted programme.
This blog has been powered by insights from our partner TrustID's report: '2 Years of Digital Schemes – What’s changed? The impact of technology, fraud trends and what’s to come.'