Even though many companies allowed their staff to work remotely before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, it became the new norm after that. As the pandemic spread, forcing the world to go into lockdown, business organizations were left with no other option than to switch to online working. As a result, investigators at Russia PI report a drastic increase in the number of remote workers and of background check inquiries for these workers.

Remote work has been the greatest thing in a long time for both employers and employees. Companies benefit from the reduced operation costs, the increased productivity in the employees, and the ease of finding talent with the specific skills-set the company requires, regardless of the applicant’s location. Employees have found a flexible working environment that allows them to search for better living conditions, including moving to rural areas or even other countries where living costs are less expensive.

As businesses start to feel more comfortable with remote working options, many have turned their eyes to Russia. This country has a massive workforce of educated people. That is why it is the number one destination for those looking for highly specialized talent.

Russia has also been known as a high-risk country for different types of fraud, including identity theft, data breaches, hacking, etc. Remote work from Russia has triggered identity fraud because applicants are trying to be selected in job positions that they do not qualify for, and criminals are trying to infiltrate too. When the pay and the work opportunities are good, the chances of stumbling with an impostor are bigger.

Many employers do not have consistent identity verification processes in place, and this is especially notorious in remote work contexts. Some companies have not adjusted their background check practices to the new necessities. It is obviously not the same to interview and screen someone you can meet in person and from your home country, than to conduct a background check investigation in Russia.

For example, screening a Russian applicant can be very complicated for an HR executive in the United States, U.K., Canada or Australia. The difficulties involved in not knowing the language, the laws or the right places to search for the information can discourage recruiters from completing the process, and lead them to rely on a resume and internet references like Linkedin. However, not verifying with official sources the identity of a candidate means to seriously compromise the company’s safety. Remote talent is very convenient, but an impostor can be a big threat to a company’s assets, to other employees and to the public.

Russian private investigators can provide a professional solution to this problem. A professional employment background check investigation will verify not only the identity of a candidate, but also their employment history, qualifications, education, licenses, media records, references and criminal records in Russia.

Russia is a high-risk country for false resumes and fake identifications, as the country is known for it’s computer and IT savvy population.  Screening candidates from Russia is no easy task and requires highly trained investigators in Russia.  Contact us today for a free quote, and let our team in Moscow and St. Petersburg help keep you safe!

C. Wright
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