A Darlington based financial advisor demonstrated this week why it is of utmost importance to carry out background checks on those people you work with or people you are maybe thinking of hiring. Ruth Fleming started trading as a financial advisor after being caught and convicted of stealing over £6000 from her security firm employers. Flemings new business cited knowledge, experience and honesty and the businesses strengths, she also claimed to be a qualified accounting technician but this claim also proved false.
Detective Denise’s top tips for checking things out.
1. Use Google to search for a company’s name and also the name of person you will be dealing with.
2. Check out LinkedIn profiles and other social media profiles to detect any oddities.
3. Always apply the same terms to people you know and those you don’t, a common ruse of con men is to gain your trust over a period of time so you let your guard down.
3. Follow up testimonials, don’t necessarily ring them but just check the firm exists.
4. If they claim to have qualifications that are relevant, ask the examining body to confirm, the same with associations, they will usually be happy to confirm.
5. Any serious business will have insurance, ask to see their certificate.
6. If you are giving them information, there should be someone who is a registered data controllers, again, ask for the number
7. If it’s an ongoing relationship, don’t assume because everything you checked last time was ok that it will still be ok, check again.
Some of these might seem like overkill but I often have clients who get stung because they didn’t want to spoil the personal relationship, if your relationship is strong, they will understand that you need to treat everyone the same.
