RefAssured, a provider of automated reference checking and post-hire performance insight for the staffing industry, has partnered with ID.me to introduce an advanced fraud prevention solution. Available immediately, this integration embeds identity verification and authentication directly into staffing-centric workflows, addressing two key fraud risks: confirming candidate identity and validating past performance early in the hiring process.
The solution tackles the growing challenge of candidate fraud in staffing, where high placement volume and speed increase exposure. Candidates increasingly leverage generative AI to enhance or misrepresent resumes, while recruiters face overwhelming application volumes screened by AI tools that often lack nuance. The rise of deepfakes and organized fraud rings has further outpaced traditional end-of-cycle verification methods, leading to wasted resources, eroded client trust, and submission of unqualified or fraudulent candidates.
By integrating ID.me’s digital identity verification with RefAssured’s reference checking platform, staffing agencies can now verify identities and authenticate performance references at the top of the funnel—before candidates enter client talent pools. This proactive approach minimizes friction, maintains placement velocity, and protects agency reputation.
RefAssured’s reference checks occur early in the placement lifecycle, allowing agencies to confirm candidate legitimacy and performance capability before advancing them to clients. The ID.me integration adds robust identity authentication without requiring separate steps or slowing processes.
This combination reduces the risk of submitting misrepresented or fraudulent candidates, preserves client confidence, and cuts costs associated with late-stage fraud detection. Agencies maintain full interoperability with existing applicant tracking systems (ATS), ensuring the solution fits seamlessly into daily operations.
“Our clients trust us to do two main things – take on risk and provide the best possible talent,” said Kyle Allen, EVP at Vaco by Highspring and a longtime RefAssured customer. “And as staffing agencies, we owe it to our clients and ourselves to meet that standard. The launch of RefAssured and ID.me’s candidate fraud prevention solution is exciting news for the staffing industry. No one wants to deal with fake candidates and threat actors infiltrating their pipelines. No one wants to submit someone who can’t do the job or isn’t acting in good faith. This is what this industry has been calling for, and I can’t imagine a better company to deliver it than RefAssured.”
“Candidate fraud has reached epidemic levels,” said Brian Vesce, CEO of RefAssured, “especially in staffing, where placement volume and speed make the likelihood of navigating this issue all but guaranteed. Up until now, staffing agencies haven’t had a great solution to prevent fraud at the beginning stages of the placement lifecycle. Existing solutions are either point-in-time or occur as a last line of defense. By that time, even if you identify fraud before someone is placed on assignment, damage has been done. You’ve shown the client that the system is broken, you’ve lost their trust, and you’ve submitted candidates that misrepresented themselves and aren’t up for the task. By combining identity verification and performance validation, we’re ensuring the integrity of the hiring process and also making it operationally and logistically a lot simpler.”
“Staffing agencies face a unique challenge - stopping fraud without slowing down hiring,” said Taylor Liggett, Chief Growth Officer at ID.me. “ID.me’s digital identity wallet is already deployed at scale, enabling over 160 million existing users to authenticate within seconds. Together with RefAssured, we’re establishing a new standard for the staffing industry - one where identity is verified early, friction is minimized, and confidence is built into every placement.”
RefAssured’s platform has amassed over 1.5 million reference reports since 2023, delivering 30 million structured data points on soft skills, hard skills, behavioral attributes, and success factors. Enhanced by post-hire performance evaluations, this repository provides continually refreshed, third-party validated insights.
With ID.me’s verification layer, agencies gain confidence that data originates from legitimate candidates, supporting more accurate AI-driven decision-making and predictive hiring models. The solution’s staffing-specific design ensures broad compatibility across front-office systems.
Enterprise staffing agencies such as Vaco/Highspring, Kelly Services, Ingenovis Health, LocumTenens.com, Soliant, Fusion Medical Staffing, and Triage rely on RefAssured’s Joint Commission-accepted technology, achieving 100% customer satisfaction.
The RefAssured-ID.me fraud prevention solution is available immediately for staffing agencies seeking to enhance pipeline integrity and client trust.
About RefAssured
RefAssured is a provider of automated reference checking solutions and candidate performance insight for the staffing industry. With an extensible platform designed to improve efficiency, speed placements, provide hire quality, prevent candidate fraud, and unlock revenue growth opportunities, RefAssured does more than just verify references – it validates decision-making. With a team comprised of successful serial entrepreneurs, staffing executives, and technology innovators, RefAssured is a platform for human potential.
About ID.me
ID.me is the next-generation digital identity wallet that simplifies how individuals securely prove their identity online. Consumers can verify their identity with ID.me once and seamlessly sign in across websites without having to create a new sign-in and verify their identity again. Over 160 million users experience streamlined sign-in and identity verification with ID.me at 22 federal agencies, 50 state government agencies, and more than 500 employers. Over 600 consumer brands use ID.me to verify communities and user segments to honor service and build authentic relationships. ID.me is committed to “No Identity Left Behind” to enable all people to have a secure digital identity.
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