Two leading industry bodies are undertaking an investigation into the proliferation of skills card fraud in the construction sector, following the recent prosecution of an organised gang that dealt in fake identity documents – including several certification cards used in the construction industry.
The investigation is to be led by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), who have begun by conducting an industry-wide online survey into skills card fraud. This survey seeks to determine how common this type of fraud is, and whether card checking procedures are up to scratch. Cardholders are asked how often their cards are checked when they enter a site, whether the information is checked visually or using smart technology, and which features on the card are checked (photo, expiry date, card type etc.). Individuals with a responsibility for checking skills cards are asked how often they encounter fake cards, and how they were detected.
While skills cards aren’t a legal requirement, many of the biggest contractors expect subcontractors to have valid (and of course, legitimate) skills cards. The cards contain chips that can be checked using card readers or smartphones to determine if the card is valid. The CITB and CSCS hope that the research will encourage contractors to check skills cards more thoroughly to prevent future incidents from occurring.
We’ll keep you updated on the outcome of the investigation on the Integrity Software blog, and of course, other construction industry news in addition to tips on how to make the most of your construction accounting software.
