Do not act on the email alone, and do not ignore it either. Treat it as a tip, not a verdict. Check who sent it and whether they are real. Then re-run your own identity checks on the hire: documents through your proper process, references through company numbers, and a live video conversation about the work. Loop in the client, HR and, if anything looks wrong, legal. Candidate fraud is rising, and so are false accusations from competitors and ex-partners. Your own checks are the only thing you can trust.
First: who is the sender?
An email from an unknown address saying "your new hire lied about everything" could be true, could be a scam, or could be someone with a grudge. Before anything else:
- Does the sender name a real company, and does that company's main number confirm they work there?
- Do they give specifics you can check, or just accusations?
- Are they asking you to do something odd, like send documents or click a link? If so, treat it as phishing.
Do not reply with anything about the hire until you know who you are talking to.
Second: re-run your own checks
Whatever the sender turns out to be, the question is now open, so answer it yourself.
1. Documents, through the process. Identity and work authorization are verified through your normal hiring process and systems, not by a recruiter looking at a scan again. If the documents did not pass that process, that is your answer.
2. References, through the company. Call each past employer through its main switchboard, not the number on the resume, and ask for HR or the named manager. Confirm dates and title.
3. A live conversation about the work. On camera, with ID shown. Ask about a normal day, a problem they solved, and a technical detail only someone who did the job would know. A real hire answers easily.
Third: involve the right people
- The client. If the person is on assignment, the client needs to know a question has been raised, in neutral words, and what you are doing about it.
- HR and compliance. They own the documents and the process.
- Legal. If the checks show fraud, or if the accusation looks like defamation, get advice before you act.
Do not fire anyone on the strength of an anonymous email. Do not keep someone on assignment while ignoring one.
Prevent the next one
The three checks above should run before anyone starts, not after an email arrives. Write them into the submittal standard: "Video screen with ID, two references through company numbers, authorization verified." A client should see that line in every submittal.
Where M-Tracker fits
The three checks are part of the standard for a submittal. In M-Tracker, that standard lives with the order, and each submittal is read against it before the client sees it. If the line about the checks is missing, the recruiter gets a plain-words note and runs them before the submittal goes, not after a stranger's email.
Try M-Tracker free14-day trial. No credit card. No employee surveillance.
Questions people ask
Should I forward the email to the hire?
Not at first. Verify the sender and run your checks. If the checks are clean, you may tell the hire that a question was raised and resolved.
What if the sender is a competitor?
Then the email may still be true, or may be an attempt to damage you. Your own checks decide, not the sender's motive.
Is candidate fraud really common?
It has grown, especially for remote and tech roles. A standard set of checks on every hire is cheaper than one bad placement.
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