The primary reasons include inaccurate disclosure of past experience, inflated salary claims, incorrect tenure details and violations of notice periods
India’s retail sector continues to face systemic hiring risks across frontline and managerial roles, as per to insights from the Workforce Fraud Files 2026 (H1 FY25-26), released by AuthBridge. The report finds that one in six retail employees failed employment checks in the first half of FY26. The primary reasons include inaccurate disclosure of past experience, inflated salary claims, incorrect tenure details and violations of notice periods
The report highlights persistent discrepancies across employment, address and education verification checks within retail hiring. A total of 10.64 per cent of retail hires showed address mismatches, reflecting challenges linked to frequent relocations, shared accommodations, and temporary housing arrangements.
“Retail hiring happens at speed and scale, particularly at the frontline. However, the data clearly shows that structured verification cannot be compromised. With one in six employment checks failing and education discrepancies rising, retailers must strengthen screening controls to protect operational stability and customer trust,” states Ajay Trehan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), AuthBridge.
The report shows that 9.16 per cent of retail education checks flagged mismatches, nearly doubling from 4.8 per cent in the previous reporting cycle. This increase indicates growing instances of candidates misrepresenting diplomas or qualifications to secure supervisory or management-track positions.
As India’s retail sector expands across urban and emerging markets, the report underscores the need for stronger pre-offer employment validation, structured address verification processes, and tighter education screening to support workforce integrity and long-term governance.
