Fintech & Startups: Build Trust as You Grow

Your reputation is your license, lose it and you could lose your company.

Ferretly is a tool that screens employees, advisors, and agents for online behavior that could signal fraud, bias, or noncompliance. In the world of fintech and startups, staying alert online can help companies uncover behavioral risks early, speed up hiring decisions, and maintain trust with clients and regulators—without all the negative consequences.

Modern Catastrophes?

In 2018, Uber faced serious controversy when drivers with discriminatory and fraudulent evidence in their online histories slipped through its checking process. Fraudulent accounts were even sold online, letting unverified drivers take riders and put customers in danger. Uber's failure to screen digital behavior led to lawsuits, backlash, and reputational damage.

However, with an AI tool like Ferretly for social media screening, Uber could have avoided the scandal entirely.

Another view of this is when Robinhood, the fintech startup that revolutionized stock trading for everyday investors, faced intense scrutiny when employee and influencer public social media posts were out of line with regulatory expectations and company values, sparking questions about internal checks. This led to a $70 million FINRA fine for failing to oversee influencers' misleading promotions and related compliance mistakes.

It leaves us asking: Could these incidents have been prevented?

The answer is yes, and they highlight even further the need for tools like Ferretly that help companies discover behavioral risks before they escalate into major issues. For fast-growing startups balancing innovation with regulation, taking digital action early is the first step in protecting brand image and building stakeholder trust.

Build Trust as You Grow

Besides traditional background checks, organizations need to recognize the importance of reviewing a candidate's digital footprint before making the decision to move them forward in the hiring process.

For fintech firms that operate in secure environments, a single mistake or inappropriate online comment can lead to huge repercussions, including regulatory fines, legal issues, or damage to the brand. In a similar polarizing industry, startups value speed, innovation, and creativity throughout their day-to-day, but lack extensive processes that ensure the candidates they hire have all these positives and none of the negatives.

High-end fintech companies and newer startups simply cannot afford the risks and damages that come with a faulty hire.

Ferretly lets organizations detect behavioral risks early through AI-powered background screening, protecting company reputation and minimizing risk. It offers many advantages:

• Enhanced Trust: Ferretly uses a proactive approach to risk management by acting before any damages can occur, protecting clients, partners, and regulators during the hiring process.

• Reduced Fraud and Risk: Ferretly identifies behavioral concerns early and minimizes the chances of fraudulent activity or reputational scandals during a candidate's employment.

• Maximized Efficiency andScale: Ferretly's automation allows for constant monitoring without needing significant resource investment, enabling fintech firms and startups to scale their hiring safely as they grow.

New Gen(Z)eration

In the modern digital world run by Gen Z, social media fame and earning money online are becoming more popular and widespread than ever before. This mix of open sharing and online presence can be a good thing, as it gives companies a more genuine look at prospective hires' character traits that wouldn't have come to light in a traditional interview.

But this online persona can also hurt candidates, since those same digital footprints can expose harsh words or risky behavior that could be a problem down the line. For fintech companies and startups, understanding this digital complexity isn't just smart, it's essential for building trustworthy teams in a new era of transparency and risk.

Looking back at the Uber and Robinhood scandals, many of the issues could have been mitigated or even prevented with a platform like Ferretly. Had Uber utilized AI tools to monitor driver behaviors and online footprints in real time, it might have been able to catch red flags before they're able to escalate into lawsuits and created public backlash. For companies in any industry, embracing a high level of online insight is becoming a baseline necessity to build trust in an era where digital footprints can make or break reputations before a single word is spoken.

The Future of Online Screening

As new generations continue to live more of their lives on social media, online screening is becoming a critical pillar of risk mitigation for fintech and startups. By utilizing innovation solutions like Ferretly, organizations can build trustworthy, compliant teams with a clean reputation, supporting brand safety and work efficiency.

Ferretly is helping organizations turn digital footprints into real-time insights, certifying smarter, safer hiring decisions.

While the fintech landscape grows more competitive and selective, companies may soon find they cannot afford to operate without tools that reveal behavioral risk long before it becomes tomorrow's headline.

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About This Article

This piece was developed as part of a University of Maryland writing practicum exploring AI ethics, responsible AI-assisted content creation, and advanced prompting techniques. The course was led by Adam Lloyd, Ph.D., with industry mentorship provided by Ferretly to ground coursework in real-world application and ethical AI use.

Student Author: Jimmy Zhu
→jzhu1213@terpmail.umd.edu · LinkedIn

‍Course Faculty & Mentorship
Adam Lloyd, Ph.D. · Senior Lecturer,University of Maryland
Adam teaches business and technical writing with a focus on real-world application—his courses partner with companies to create actual workplace deliverables. He co-created UMD's "Digital Rhetoric at the Dawn ofExtra-Human Discourse," exploring AI's role in academic, creative, and professional writing. A former journalist, startup founder, and award-honored educator, he holds advanced degrees in English, philosophy, and national security studies.
→lloyda@umd.edu · LinkedIn

Nicole Young · VP, Growth Marketing
Nicole provides industry mentorship for this course, bringing deep experience in growth marketing, advertising strategy, and AI-integrated content systems. Her work focuses on building ethical, scalable marketing programs at the intersection of technology, trust, and brand performance. She welcomes collaboration with academic programs seeking practitioner partnerships.
→nicole@ferretly.com · LinkedIn