Christine, the Crafty Conniving Fraudster

Once upon a time at a workplace, Christine chose fraud in a crafty and conniving way. This challenging fraudster was hired for a role that given her experience should have been easy. There were signs. An odd inquiry, a validation that the company was ‘real’. Claimed a victim of scams. Resume not ideal with a short-term employment roller coaster. Did good in the interview and asked appropriate questions. Was hired.

First day, late and sent a message after starting time. Claimed was doing her hair, with a curling iron. Then realized her child missed the bus. Then had to drive them to school and was embarrassed. Manager understanding that life happens. Arrives finally. Proceeds to blurt out and expose exposed a lot of insecurity and nervousness with random thoughts from weight loss to time off needs to doesn’t have sugar cravings to wanting to make absolutely sure no one was mad about her being late. Reviewed the plan for the day. Derailed by Facebook friends questions, very curious about owner and how much money he had to he connection with the family to suggesting her friends to hire to question her co-workers about my management style and why I wasn't firing her for being late.

During orientation with other new hires mocked the polices and was exceptionally inappropriate during the sexual harassment training. By end of day her co-worker had issues as well as a male employee from orientation. The remainder of the first day, not surprising, was derailed by Christine, stating her HR experience and loved going into employee files and snooping wages. Continuing to needing to leave early today to needing a full day of that week to wanting to know the 'dirt' on everyone to questioning why I was so quiet.

It's normal to be nervous the first day or week; that nervous comes out in many forms, so the assumption was it's Christine's normal personality on nervousness. Being late on the first day while not good, doesn't mean it's a normal trait of the individual. There were moments that suggested jitters.

Red Flags started and kept coming. Christine's day two to fourteen days at work, because seven of those days was either out, sick, forgot needed more time off, an emergency, or leaving early was a fascinating combination of watching someone attempt the carnival game Whack-a-Mole on a loopy roller coaster to those witnessing it. It's import to understanding how busy the company was and the overload her manager and team members had with deadlines. Christine took full advantage of those encouraging her poor behavior. Jumped on the toxic train and spent hours; instead of completing training and work was hired to perform.

Given her background, her training was a standard combination watch the trainer, ask questions and review on your own. Notes were taken. Scribes were taken. Questions asked and answered multiple times. Evaluations and touchpoints of understanding. Excuses for errors. Blaming errors. Stories and reasonings. Would call her husband to ask him how to do what was asked. He did not work for the company. It also wasn't Christine's role to create or overhaul an existing streamlined process; the role was to perform within the exist methods. The husband even came in a few times to help and/or bring food.

Instead of following the outline training, Christine would 'wing it' and create costly time and monetary errors which results in barraging her manager with texts and emails, getting frustrated that immediate responses didn't come. She claimed food poisoning, but the stomach flu hit the office hard. Instead of calling out sick, thought it was best to come in seriously ill and proceed to her manager's office to give TMI details. Those detail continued on the travel home and at home. When her manager was out the next day ill with the stomach flu, Christine was given specific training goals for that day. The fraud went conniving instead; as in any workplace there is the trouble maker and a toxic relationship bloomed, however she wasn't as crafty as she thought.

In meetings or conversations she would throw that individual under the bus, ask deep questions on why they were allowed to be her; distracting and derailing from anything to actually learn the role. Christine's new co-worker reported hours of poor behavior, gossiping and how to get her manager in trouble. Wanting to know why an former employee got a raw deal and literally digging in their employee file, which she ended up taking confidential documents. It was easy to see on audit reports and movements in the system, after her odd behavior the first week. Her manager directly told her that highly sensitive documents related to office employees and managers were kept out of the file because a certain individual (want to guess who) would go into them and spread gossip about the details.

By the end of the second week; she was rude and challenging to her manager. Filled with all kinds of false stories from the troublemaker. The odd inquiries just kept coming. Accusations on why I was spying on her via Teams message and email. Charged and angry to know why she wasn't allowed to attend training with others in the department. It had already been explained that given the number of outages and the important needs her role had; it was critical that Christine focus on her tasks.

Christine disrespectful attitude to her manager, either by comments or in person, were noted by others. It was hard not to miss in a small office, other managers and employees provided feedback. Like most individuals who have this behavior, they have a false persona of themselves being likable. Made statements that she would be better in the role, than her unprofessional manager, given her experience level. Her experience was a filing clerk and assistance with basic forms. Stating you have higher skills, but your language, understanding of laws and actions scream otherwise - doesn't make you a professional or an HR associate. As will any bubble or length of rope, there is an ending.

Fourteen days in her seat at a new employer with a manager who was more than accommodating. Christine made the conniving choice to be attacking, blaming, creating false narratives, and being rude to that individual on literally baseless gossip. The documentation trail and timeline was epic from the beginning to the end. The evidence showed absolutely no fault on her manager or her manager's behavior, outside that Christine should have been terminated at the end of her first week.

It was a lot. Befriending a toxic troublemaker and gossip, following their suggestions with specific pet words and catchphrases and idiolect that was already documented in detail and on file from the other ones who were either corrupted or the victims by the individual in the workplace. Not crafty at all Christine. Not original on the long email that outline all the 'wrongdoing' of her manager. Not original to erase the electronic history on Teams, Email, in the system and employee files. Christine also thought entering the grounds to drop off her equipment before anyone opened the office was unique, it wasn't. The owners were informed by her manager of what her next steps would most likely be and Christine did not disappoint. Christine's theft of confidential paperwork from and employee's file, wasn't anticipated and is a serious legal matter. She also compromised the security of the office by leaving it unlocked for anyone to enter. Christine, the crafty conniving fraudster is still waiting for the payoff.

A sequel(s): Coming Soon to a Workplace Near You