The Rise of Interview Deepfakes
As remote hiring becomes the norm, bad actors are using real-time face swapping technology to impersonate candidates. "Deepfake" interviews allow unqualified individuals to pass interviews using a proxy's knowledge and a stolen identity face mask.
Traditional video conferencing tools like Zoom and Teams are not designed to detect these synthetic media streams. According to recent surveys, 31% of hiring managers report encountering candidates who later turned out to be using false identities—and most were only discovered after the hire was made.
How Deepfake Interviews Work
A deepfake interview typically involves two people: the "face" who appears on camera using face-swapping software, and the "brain" who feeds answers through audio or text. The candidate you interview may look nothing like the person who shows up on day one—or they may have the right face but none of the skills they demonstrated.
Other fraud vectors include AI-generated answers (candidates using ChatGPT to respond in real-time), screen sharing of someone else's work during take-home reviews, and complete identity fraud using synthetic documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common are deepfake interviews?
While still emerging, deepfake interviews are growing rapidly. The FBI's IC3 reported a significant increase in complaints about deepfake technology being used in job interviews, particularly for remote technical positions. For high-risk roles (senior, remote, technical), you should assume this threat is real.
How do I detect if a candidate is using a deepfake?
Look for visual artifacts like unnatural blinking, skin texture inconsistencies around the jaw/hairline, and audio-visual sync issues. However, deepfakes are improving rapidly. The most reliable detection requires specialized liveness detection technology that analyzes micro-expressions and biometric signals—which IntegrityLens provides.
Can Zoom detect deepfakes?
No. Standard video conferencing tools like Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet are not designed to detect synthetic media. They're built for communication, not fraud detection. You need a specialized identity verification layer that runs alongside or before your video interviews.
What roles are most at risk for interview fraud?
The highest-risk profiles are: fully remote positions (no in-person verification), senior technical roles (high salary incentive), and contractor/freelance positions (faster onboarding with less vetting). Use this assessment to evaluate your specific exposure.