New Delhi, India, March 05, 2026: India’s retail sector continues to face systemic hiring risks across frontline and managerial roles, according to insights from the Workforce Fraud Files 2026 (H1 FY25-26), released by AuthBridge. The report highlights persistent discrepancies across employment, address, and education verification checks within retail hiring.
The most significant concern remains employment verification. The report finds that 1 in 6 retail employees failed employment checks in H1 FY26. The primary reasons include inaccurate disclosure of past experience, inflated salary claims, incorrect tenure details, and violations of notice periods. In a sector known for high attrition and rapid store expansion, such discrepancies can directly impact workforce reliability and operational continuity.
Address verification remains another consistent risk area. A total of 10.64% of retail hires showed address mismatches, reflecting challenges linked to frequent relocations, shared accommodations, and temporary housing arrangements. For retailers operating distributed store networks and handling high-volume cash and inventory operations, workforce traceability is essential to maintaining internal controls.
Education discrepancies have recorded a notable rise. The report shows that 9.16% of retail education checks flagged mismatches, nearly doubling from 4.8% in the previous reporting cycle. This increase indicates growing instances of candidates misrepresenting diplomas or qualifications to secure supervisory or management-track positions.
Commenting on the findings, Ajay Trehan, Founder & CEO of AuthBridge, said, “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.”
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.
