A HIGH-profile Dorset employer has warned some past and present staff that their identities have been used to fraudulently register them as directors of companies.

Business services company Conduent UK says the fraud could have an impact on those affected if their names are used to obtain loans and credit through “shell” businesses.

One former employee said he “learned the true meaning of anxiety” after receiving the warning.

US-headquartered Conduent – which began as part of Xerox and whose local office is at Discovery Court, Wallisdown – wrote to the people affected last week.

It said: “On March 28, 2022, we became aware that a number of current and former Conduent UK employees had been appointed, without their knowledge, as directors of companies with Companies House – the official UK Government body that registers companies and directors.

“I am writing to inform you that you are one of the affected former employees.”

The message included a link to the page at Companies House where the affected person’s details were registered.

“The companies that employees/former employees have been appointed as directors of have made up names, and many appear to be located at vacant shop premises, near to where employees/former employees actually live,” the email said.

“While we don’t know the nature of the improper purpose, if the purpose involves obtaining loans, any loans and credit obtained through these shell businesses could have an impact on the people (directors) whose names were utilized.”

A former employee who received the email said: “I learned the true meaning of the word anxiety.

“My wife and I are saving money to buy a house and have a good credit score. We’ve got everything sorted and just need some savings to buy a house. Now I wait for everything to collapse and fall apart because there probably will be some loans in my name coming out.

“I had a meltdown when I heard about it.”

A statement from Conduent said: “We do not know whether this was a targeted incident or one that was experienced more broadly by other companies and their employees, nor how the underlying personal data was obtained. 

“We continue to actively monitor our environment to ensure appropriate security and resiliency. We have no indication at this point of any related broader compromise or impact on any of our clients.”

It said the company had immediately assembled a “cross-functional response team”.

It had informed all the people affected, provided advice on protecting against any fraud and helped remove data from Companies House registers. It had made contact with Action Fraud and was investigating whether its staff were targeted, or whether the episode was part of a larger criminal effort.

It has also reported the matter to the Information Commissioners’ Office.

“As we continue to investigate this matter we will update those affected. Conduent takes protection of our employees’ personal information seriously,” the statement added.