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Hans India
31-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
How Digital Adoption is Strengthening Trust and Redefining Risk in Regulated Industries
Mr Ajay Trehan , Founder and CEO of AuthBridge , spoke to The Hans India on the occasion of Digital Adoption Professionals Day about how technology is reshaping the foundation of trust in high-risk industries. Drawing from two decades of experience in digital verification, he shares how AI, real-time data intelligence, and responsible innovation are enabling faster, safer, and more compliant systems across sectors like BFSI, staffing, fintech, and logistics. He shared that in today's fast-evolving business landscape, digital adoption has matured well beyond the simple deployment of tools or platforms. In compliance-intensive sectors such as BFSI, fintech, logistics, and staffing, it now signals a structural transformation, embedding digital-first systems across the operational chain to enable processes that are not only fast and efficient but also deeply rooted in transparency, trust, and regulatory alignment. In high-stakes industries, the risks are multidimensional, ranging from identity fraud and document forgery to compliance lapses and reputational damage. These are not isolated operational hiccups but systemic vulnerabilities. Organisations operating in such domains increasingly view digital transformation not as a support function, but as a strategic lever for building and scaling trust intelligently. As a result, there is a visible shift from traditional reactive compliance models to real-time, proactive verification frameworks. Digital verification has emerged as a foundational defence mechanism, redefining how enterprises respond to rising threats such as synthetic identities, deep-fakes, and fraudulent documentation. Non-banking financial companies, for instance, have reported significant reductions in fake loan applications by integrating real-time identity checks and criminal record validations into their onboarding flows. Staffing platforms, particularly those catering to the gig economy, are increasingly deploying facial recognition and address triangulation to prevent identity duplication, an issue that can compromise safety and accountability at scale. Even in executive hiring, where the stakes are reputational, verification systems now include social media screening and litigation record analysis to surface potential red flags early in the process. When asked about what's powering this evolution, he mentioned the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI). Mr Ajay explained in detail how AI-enabled systems are not only verifying identities but also detecting intent and identifying linkages between previously disconnected data points. Document forensic engines, for example, can now flag tampered IDs with over 99% accuracy, even when the manipulation is subtle and pixel-level. Facial recognition tools embedded with liveness detection capabilities ensure that onboarding is genuine and tamper-proof. More critically, AI is helping organisations connect the dots by detecting suspicious behavioural patterns, such as repeated fraudulent activity linked to the same device or IP address, thereby adding a predictive layer to fraud prevention. The operational focus has also shifted towards delivering trust at scale without friction. Today, intelligent verification APIs enable businesses to complete onboarding processes within minutes while maintaining strict compliance with regulatory norms. Unified platforms are integrating identity checks, background screening, and document verification within a single ecosystem, reducing manual bottlenecks and operational lag. This shift is especially crucial for high-volume sectors like logistics, financial services, and blue-collar hiring, where neither speed nor scale can come at the cost of safety or compliance. Mr Ajay explained further that, however, as digital systems become more sophisticated, so does the responsibility that comes with their use. The deployment of AI in regulated environments demands a framework grounded in explainability, fairness, and human oversight. Whether it's screening candidates or approving credit, decision-making should be transparent and auditable. Human-in-the-loop systems remain essential, particularly in contexts where judgment, ethics, or contextual understanding are critical. Additionally, with the upcoming implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act and other global privacy norms, consent-first data governance will be non-negotiable. Further adding, he said, "Looking ahead, digital verification is poised to become a foundation pillar of India's trust infrastructure. Integrated with initiatives like Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and the Account Aggregator framework, these systems will help businesses verify identity as well as validate behavioural consistency, contextual integrity, and risk signals, thereby establishing a more layered and intelligent model of trust." He shared, "As we mark Digital Adoption Professionals Day, it's a good time to reflect on the quiet yet powerful work being done by technology and compliance teams across India. While technology drives innovation; it is the people, compliance leaders, product thinkers, data scientists, and risk managers; who are making it responsible, scalable, and industry-ready. Their work ensures that as India's digital economy grows, it does so on the foundation of security, accountability, and long-term resilience." Concluding the interview, he stated that, in this new era, digital may be the default, but trust will remain its defining currency. And it is through thoughtful, transparent digital adoption that this currency will retain its value.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Moonlighting on rise, IT cos tighten checks
BENGALURU: Amid low single-digit salary hikes and growing job market unpredictability, the IT industry is witnessing a sharp rise in moonlighting-related verifications. Companies now scan for overlapping employment - clear indicators of concurrent roles or undisclosed prior engagements. Such discrepancies are automatically flagged and escalated for client review. The final determination of risk or policy breach rests with the client, guided by their internal policies, risk tolerance, and candidate discussions. Background verification firm OnGrid reported a surge in screening activity. In the first six months of the current year, it processed 23,000 employment verifications-already 87% of the total 26,000 conducted last year. A key driver is employment history checks, often used to detect moonlighting. These checks flagged 2,900 cases in the first half of this year, up from 2,201 in all of last year. OnGrid tracks Universal Account Numbers (UANs), employment timelines, and personal records to spot overlapping jobs and undisclosed roles. Manav Jain, chief business officer at OnGrid, said that post-pandemic, with the rise of remote, hybrid, and freelance models, moonlighting cases increased. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The flexibility of these arrangements made it easier for some to take on secondary jobs. Economic factors also push professionals to seek backup income or job security. During the pandemic, many employees were not fully engaged during typical work hours, and without robust monitoring tools, some used the extra time to take on additional work, which over time became habitual for some. Rahul Maheshwari, former Google employee and founder of edtech platform Linux Socials, said many professionals are turning to teaching as a side gig to cope with job uncertainty. "Several work as freelancers, taking teaching assignments without going through the PF route. I currently have around 20 professionals from top MNCs who double up as instructors on the platform-many are here to cope with the current instability," he said. Maheshwari himself was asked to stop sharing tutorials on YouTube and LinkedIn after HR classified it as moonlighting. Though he insisted teaching wasn't moonlighting, he resigned to avoid friction-even though it didn't interfere with his day job. Background verification firm AuthBridge reports that 5 out of every 100 candidates engage in dual employment. Nearly 90% of these cases come from the IT services sector, mainly in Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. In one case, a developer was simultaneously employed at five companies, including two direct competitors. AuthBridge uncovered this overlap through PF records and Form 26AS. The shift to remote work during Covid also sparked a surge in multi-employment cases. OnGrid found one candidate joined 50 companies in a single year, worked seven years with 141 employers on record. In 2021, she added 21 more employers and was simultaneously on payroll at 10 companies. This included full-time roles at big names, startups, and established MNCs-not just freelance or contract work. In 2022, Wipro chairman Rishad Premji said the company fired 300 employees for working for direct competitors while being on Wipro's rolls. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Firms tighten checks as moonlighting rises
Bengaluru: Amid lower single-digit salary hikes and growing job market unpredictability, the industry is witnessing a sharp rise in moonlighting-related verifications. Companies now scan for overlapping employment—clear indicators of concurrent roles or undisclosed prior engagements. Such discrepancies are automatically flagged and escalated for client review. The final determination of risk or policy breach rests with the client, guided by their internal policies, risk tolerance, and candidate discussions. Background verification firm OnGrid reported a surge in screening activity. In the first six months of the current year, it processed 23,000 employment verifications—already 87% of the total 26,000 conducted last year. A key driver is employment history checks, often used to detect moonlighting. These checks flagged 2,900 cases in the first half of this year, up from 2,201 in all of last year. OnGrid tracks Universal Account Numbers (UANs), employment timelines, and personal records to spot overlapping jobs and undisclosed roles. Manav Jain, chief business officer at OnGrid, said that post-pandemic, with the rise of remote, hybrid, and freelance models, moonlighting cases increased. The flexibility of these arrangements made it easier for some to take on secondary jobs. Economic factors also push professionals to seek backup income or job security. During the pandemic, many employees were not fully engaged during typical work hours, and without robust monitoring tools, some used the extra time to take on additional work, which over time became habitual for some. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Rahul Maheshwari, former Google employee and founder of edtech platform Linux Socials, said many professionals are turning to teaching as a side gig to cope with job uncertainty. "Several work as freelancers, taking teaching assignments without going through the PF route. I currently have around 20 professionals from top MNCs who double up as instructors on the platform—many are here to cope with the current instability," he said. Maheshwari himself was asked to stop sharing tutorials on YouTube and LinkedIn after HR classified it as moonlighting. Though he insisted teaching wasn't moonlighting, he resigned to avoid friction—even though it didn't interfere with his day job. Background verification firm AuthBridge reports that 5 out of every 100 candidates engage in dual employment. Nearly 90% of these cases come from the IT services sector, mainly in Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. In one case, a developer was simultaneously employed at five companies, including two direct competitors. AuthBridge uncovered this overlap through PF records and Form 26AS. The shift to remote work during Covid also sparked a surge in multi-employment cases. OnGrid found one candidate joined 50 companies in a single year, worked seven years with 141 employers on record. In 2021, she added 21 more employers and was simultaneously on payroll at 10 companies. This included full-time roles at big names, startups, and established MNCs—not just freelance or contract work. In 2022, Wipro chairman Rishad Premji said that the company fired 300 employees in the past few months for working for direct competitors while being on the rolls of Wipro. Traditional background checks—focused solely on verifying previous employment—can no longer catch these complex cases. That's why companies are moving toward comprehensive employment history checks (EHCs), which reveal undisclosed concurrent employment and other hidden risks. "In today's hybrid and remote environments, the risk of dual employment is too high to ignore. We strongly advise all clients to adopt EHCs as an essential tool for thorough risk mitigation—not just a checkbox in the hiring process," Jain added.
