How I Got Dupped

I remember when I was working for a large construction company. We hired an office manager in our California office. She was the nicest, sweetest, most empathetic person I had ever hired. She worked for us for about a year to build up a trustworthy work ethic.  One of her responsibilities was filing the union reporting, she got behind and began to ask for blank signed checks to file the reports. She always had a couple extra checks and began to reimburse herself for phantom expenses.  

When we caught her the boss wanted to press charges. I could not believe that she was a crook, even after I discovered the evidence. When we went to court we found her old boss, from a title company. She had a criminal record after building trust with the owner and perpetrating the same scenario.

What I learned from this is to always have a healthy distrust for the people you would most never suspect. The second lesson is always do a background check for every accounting person, no matter how small the task. We should not have been the second victim if only we had taken a small precaution.

It’s understandable to feel conflicted or ashamed when someone who seemed so genuine turns out to be dishonest. It’s a reminder that while it’s important to trust people, it’s also crucial to have safeguards in place. Background checks and regular audits can help prevent such situations.