Wells Fargo fires more than a dozen employees for faking work using mouse jigglers and keyboard simulation

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The good old mouse jiggler is alive and well

Wells Fargo in San Francisco, Calif.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Financial powerhouse Wells Fargo fired over a dozen employees in May, after allegations that they were dishonest about their working habits. Disclosures filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (Finra) in June confirmed the staffers made it seem like they were working by simulating keyboard activity with easy-to-find devices that trick monitoring software into thinking the user is working. 

According to the disclosures, the terminated employees worked in Wells Fargo's wealth- and investment-management unit. They used special but easily obtainable tools to create the impression the staffers were busily working. In truth, the allegations state these employees weren't even at their computers. A Wells Fargo spokesperson told Bloomberg that the company "holds employees to the highest standards and does not tolerate unethical behavior."

Software and hardware that make it seem like someone is moving their mouse or typing on their keyboard are readily available. Tips for using them are easy to find on social media sites like Reddit and TikTok. The devices themselves are available on Amazon for less than $20. You can even build your own using a Raspberry Pi and some electronic components.

These inexpensive and widely available devices prevent computers from entering sleep mode when the PC isn't in use. They don't move the mouse or type on the keyboard but trick screen monitoring software into thinking the user is active when they are not. 

Such apps and equipment became increasingly popular during the pandemic's work-from-home era. According to Bloomberg, Wells Fargo's disclosures to Finra don't clarify whether the discharged employees worked from home or the office. 

The finance industry quickly and aggressively brought its employees back into the office. However, Wells Fargo waited longer than most of its rivals to make that move. It didn't start requiring employees to return to the office until early 2022 under a "hybrid flexible model." The company now requires most employees to be in the office at least three days a week.

Jeff Butts
Jeff Butts
Contributing Writer

Jeff Butts has been covering tech news for more than a decade, and his IT experience predates the internet. Yes, he remembers when 9600 baud was “fast.” He especially enjoys covering DIY and Maker topics, along with anything on the bleeding edge of technology.

23 Comments Comment from the forums
  • garrett040
    hello? based department?
    Reply
  • defunctup
    garrett040 said:
    hello? based department?
    definitely not wells fargo.
    Reply
  • PEnns
    Wells Fargo, again.

    I guess some of their employees (who are now forbidden to open new accounts for existing customers- without those customers' knowledge!), had to find something new to do.

    What is wrong with this bank? It's like a den of thieves and imbeciles!
    Reply
  • d0x360
    I wonder what genius thought this would work then told all their friends about it lol
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    PEnns said:
    Wells Fargo, again.

    I guess some of their employees (who are now forbidden to open new accounts for existing customers- without those customers' knowledge!), had to find something new to do.

    What is wrong with this bank? It's like a den of thieves and imbeciles!
    Its not just WF.
    This happens all over. They just haven't been caught, or as newsworthy as WF.
    Reply
  • Grobe
    Can this issue be a result of employers doing active monitoring on their workers ?
    Reply
  • vijosef
    The one who should be fired is whoever decided to pay the workers based on how much mouse movements they made, rather than their productivity.

    If they don't know how productive each worker is, they have a much worse problem. An employee who works only 1 hour a month and generates a million-dollar profit is much better than another who works 24/7 and generates only 1 dollar.
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    vijosef said:
    The one who should be fired is whoever decided to pay the workers based on how much mouse movements they made, rather than their productivity.

    If they don't know how productive each worker is, they have a much worse problem. An employee who works only 1 hour a month and generates a million-dollar profit is much better than another who works 24/7 and generates only 1 dollar.
    Its not how many mouse movements, but just moving the mouse every couple of minutes, to prevent something like MS Teams from showing you as "Away".

    But yes, "productivity" should have been in the mix.
    Reply
  • jimmyZ4202
    I must be alone in thinking people working from home having access to my bank account and leaving their computer logged in and active while they leave to go shopping and do other things is a massive breach in fiduciary duty. I'm sure no snooping by unauthorized people has ever happened...
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    jimmyZ4202 said:
    I must be alone in thinking people working from home having access to my bank account and leaving their computer logged in and active while they leave to go shopping and do other things is a massive breach in fiduciary duty. I'm sure no snooping by unauthorized people has ever happened...
    haha...

    You'd be surprised at how much of "your data' goes elsewhere.

    20+ years ago, buying a used car at a major dealer. Financing from them.

    As the deal was done and just the paperwork, I overheard from a newbie to the senior agent:
    "So when we send this to Mexico for data entry, does this field have to be filled in?"
    Reply