Faking Work with Dummy Keyboards, Dozens of Bank Employees Sacked

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The US-based banking company Wells Fargo has uncovered fake work behaviour among some of its employees. In a serious move, the company immediately dismissed those caught engaging in such activities.

“After reviewing allegations involving the simulation of keyboard activity that created the impression of active work,” the company stated in a submission to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) regarding the reasons for the dismissals, quoted from Quartz on Sunday (3/5/2026).

A Wells Fargo spokesperson explained that the bank could not tolerate such behaviour. “Wells Fargo holds high standards for employees and does not tolerate unethical behaviour,” they said.

The workers used a fake keyboard device called mouse jigglers, which moves the mouse and keeps the computer awake.

Those using the device also prevented the computer from entering sleep mode, even when not in use.

It turns out that devices similar to mouse jigglers are widely available on the market. In fact, these products became very popular among workers worldwide during remote work amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is because the device allows employees to fake work without direct supervision from bosses, as in an office setting.

On several occasions, the remote working system, known as work from home (WFH), has sparked debate. Many are concerned about the engagement of employees working from home.

The State of the Global Workplace report from Gallup revealed something similar. The report noted that 62% of workers worldwide are not engaged in their jobs.

As many as 15% are actively disengaged. They describe having a bad manager or job and are actively looking for a new one.