Over a dozen employees have been canned by a major bank after it was revealed that they may have been faking their work.
Wells Fargo, following an investigation last month, fired employees in the bank's wealth and investment management unit that had used "simulation of keyboard activity" to create "the impression of active work," according to disclosures filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
"Mouse movers" and "mouse jigglers," are devices and software designed to trick activity-tracking software used by their employers. . They gained significant popularity during the pandemic-driven shift to remote work. People exchanged tips for using these gadgets on social media platforms like Reddit and TikTok. These tools are available on Amazon.com for under $20.
The devices keep cursors moving on the screen in a manner that imitates mouse activity, giving the impression that an employee is actively working at their computer even when they are not. Additionally, there are devices that can automatically press keyboard keys, simulating typing. These devices are slightly more expensive, costing around $60 each.
It's unclear whether the Wells Fargo employees were using mouse movers, or faking work at home or at the office, Bloomberg noted.
"Wells Fargo holds employees to the highest standards and does not tolerate unethical behavior," a company spokesperson said in a statement.
