(NewsNation) — At least one dozen Wells Fargo employees are without work after being caught using technology that made them appear active and online, according to disclosures filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
The terminations came last month when workers on the firm’s wealth and investment management team were investigated for “allegations involving simulation of keyboard activity creating impression of active work,” Bloomberg reports.
The report filed by Wells Fargo does not specify whether the workers used these devices in the office or a work-from-home capacity. It is also unclear what the employees were doing, if not working, when keyboard activity was simulated.
“Wells Fargo holds employees to the highest standards and does not tolerate unethical behavior,” a spokesperson told Reuters.
The finance sector helped lead the return-to-work cause, with Wells Fargo asked many of its workers to return to office under a hybrid flexible model in 2022.
Faking work activity
There are many options for employees looking to fake it ’til they make it in post-pandemic corporate America.
Mouse shakers, which continually move the computer mouse and make it seem as though a worker is still logged in, sell for around $20 on Amazon and other online retailers. Other physical options include — slightly pricier — motorized objects that push keyboards to keep the user active.
Software can also achieve the same effect, with some programs simulating keyboard presses.
The filing did not disclose how the employees “created the impression of active work.”