A recent survey from CareerBuilder found that 75% of US employers have spotted lies in the resumes they receive for job openings.
This surprising statistic shows that the trend has increased in recent years; in 2015 just 58% of respondents claimed to have come across lies in applicants’ CVs.
These numbers are quite conservative, as another similar study by the HireRight Candidate Review Service suggests that 85% of employers find embellishments in resumes.
While millennials were once reported to be more likely to lie on their resumes, newer surveys suggest that younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are now more prone to dishonesty in job applications. Here’s an updated perspective:
Recent Findings
According to a January 2025 survey by Resume Builder, 44% of Americans admit to lying in the hiring process.
This survey doesn’t single out millennials as the most dishonest group.
Age-Based Breakdown
A more recent study from 2024 provides a clearer picture of resume dishonesty across age groups:
- 80.4% of 18-25-year-olds (Gen Z) admitted to lying on their resumes
- 64.9% of 26-41-year-olds (millennials) admitted to lying
- 58.2% of 42-56-year-olds admitted to lying
- 40.5% of 57-65-year-olds admitted to lying
- 46.9% of those aged 65+ admitted to lying
This data shows that younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are now more likely to lie on their resumes than millennials.
Other Demographic Factors
Overall prevalence: More than 3 in 5 people (64.2%) surveyed said they had lied on their resume at least once.
Gender difference: Men (65.6%) are slightly more likely to lie on resumes than women (63.3%).
So, how can we detect misinformation when it comes to a translation scammer?
Be Wary of the Most Common Lies Told on Resumes
Recruiters say that the part of applicant resumes that is most commonly exaggerated is the list of skills, where candidates regularly fib so that their profile is closer to job requirements.
Another popular trick that jobseekers play is omitting details of their previous places of work to cover up a dismissal or conflict with past employers.
This information is something that can be missed during the HR verification process, even when HR software is used.
Next on the list of common lies come work experience, candidate age, and education or qualifications. Others include:
- Knowledge of foreign languages
- Computer skills
- Reasons for dismissal from previous positions
- The presence of bad habits
Are you surprised to learn that candidates are lying about foreign languages?
It seems quite difficult to pretend to be multilingual, but remote translation agencies are being bombarded by scammers who are very far from professional translators.
Key Ways to Identify a Translation Scammer
It is not so difficult for a trained eye to spot common features of fake translation resumes.
Do not waste your time with an application if you come across the following things:
Beware of Mass Emails and Bulk Recipients
Check who else the email was sent to. In most instances, you will discover there are dozens of other addresses. If this is the case, delete the email without regrets.
Spot the Red Flags in a Translator’s CV
It is not rare for a resume to be written in poor English, and while the odd mistake may be forgiven in certain circumstances, if an applicant claims to translate from/to English, it’s unacceptable.
Language mistakes of any kind are a no-no for linguists.
Steer Clear of Inflated Language Claims
Some high-class specialists are fluent in more than two foreign languages, but if you are offered services in several languages that are very different from each other, alarm bells should start ringing.
Odd language combinations can be a sign of a translation scammer.
Question Those Rock-Bottom Translation Rates
You should be suspicious if a translator is willing to work for very low translation rates.
A professional in the field knows the challenges that come along with translation and will not accept a job below a reasonable fee.
Watch Out for Unrealistic Project Volumes
There are many industrious translators out there, but there is a limit to the number of words that can be translated in a day.
If a translator offers to take on huge volumes of text within 24 hours, the quality will undoubtedly be poor. Steer clear.
It is strongly recommended not to risk working with anyone whose application includes the features listed above.
If you choose to work with them, you will be likely to receive a poor quality machine translation and your agency will be negatively impacted by a loss of time, reputation, and money.
Key Ways to Counteract a Fraudster
If you have reason to believe that you will be scammed, take the following steps:
- Look for the Person Online
Luckily, modern technologies enable us to do thorough background checks on potential job candidates. Check if the so-called translator has a website or other online platform, and read the reviews posted there.
Then verify that the name is not listed on scammer directories. If you have a phone number, take a few minutes to call it to confirm validity. - Check the Resume for Plagiarism
There are a number of free services available to check if a CV you have received has duplicates on the net. If you find the same text used under different names, do not hesitate to throw it in the trash.
- Ask for References
A decent professional will be happy to submit reviews from their customers and/or previous employers. Thus, you will be able to check the authenticity of the translator and verify their professionalism. A translation scammer will simply vanish forever.
- Conduct a Video Interview
This approach allows you to match the picture in the resume with a real person and quickly discern if you are talking to a legitimate translator or an amateur.
- Ask for a Test Translation
Test translations are a great way to verify a linguist’s abilities, but be aware that some scammers may ask a native speaker for help. Ask follow-up questions to confirm that the person you’re dealing with is the one who did the work.
What to Do if You Come across a Fake Translator
Be sure to report any suspicious person to the Translator Scammers Intelligence Group. In doing so, you will save potential fraud victims a lot of time and money.
Make sure you spread these names among your colleagues and the platforms you’re working with.
Together, we can minimize the damage caused by translation scammers.
At BeTranslated our linguists are highly qualified and have years of experience in their field.
Whether you have an English to Italian business document or a Spanish to French website that needs to be translated, we have the right professional for you.
For more information, or to get a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch today.