Wells Fargo fired more than a dozen workers last month after allegations that the employees were faking work activity on their computers. The bank terminated the workers after investigating claims of “simulation of keyboard activity creating impression of active work,” according to a filing cited by Bloomberg News, which earlier reported the firings. The terminations were reported in disclosures filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, an organization that oversees broker-dealers in the U.S.
“Wells Fargo holds employees to the highest standards and does not tolerate unethical behavior,” Wells Fargo said in an emailed statement to CBS MoneyWatch. It declined to provide additional comment.
The workers were all in the wealth and investment management division of Wells Fargo, according to Ars Technica. The firings come as many employees remain remote or in hybrid roles following the pandemic, which shuttered offices around the nation and forced people to work at home. At the same time, some workers reportedly turned to strategies such as “mouse movers” or “mouse jigglers” to trick activity-tracking software used by their employers.
