The job interview begins like any other. A candidate logs in right on time, the camera is working, voice is confident. Their resume is flawless, the kind that makes a recruiter impressed. Answers to the questions asked come smoothly, each tailored with strange precision to the role. There are no ‘obvious’ red flags. But, increasingly, there is a quiet, unsettling possibility! The person on the other side of the screen may not exist at all.
This is the ‘future of hiring’ that global credit bureau Experian warns is already taking shape. In its 2026 fraud outlook, the company flags a new and deeply disruptive threat — one where artificial intelligence doesn’t just assist job seekers, but instead fabricates them entirely. From tailored resumes to real-time deepfake video interviews, the hiring process itself is becoming a target for sophisticated deception.
For HR teams, this signals a fundamental change. Hiring is no longer just about finding the best candidate; it is about proving the candidate is real. And in a world where reality itself can be convincingly simulated, that distinction is becoming harder than ever.
Anirban Mukerji, founder and CEO of miniOrange, a global cybersecurity company specialising in Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions, told indianexpress.com, “The traditional interview is no longer a ‘getting to know you’ session; it is the newest, most vulnerable edge of the corporate perimeter.” He said that by 2028, Gartner projects 25 per cent of job candidates will be entirely synthetic, powered by Generative AI. This isn’t a futuristic warning; by the end of 2024, 17 per cent of hiring managers had already encountered deepfake video interviews, representing a staggering six-fold increase in just one year.
“We are no longer simply vetting embellished resumes; we are defending against real-time, AI-synthesised infiltrators who can face-swap through a Zoom call and be inside your codebase by Monday morning. If your onboarding process still relies on a PDF and a webcam, you aren’t just hiring, you are inviting a breach that costs an average of Rs 4,50,000 per incident,” Mukherji added.
Vaibhav Koul, Managing Director, Protiviti Member Firm for India, told indianexpress.com, “What was once a theoretical concern is now a practical challenge. Now, hiring can no longer be treated as just a people function; it must be approached as a security-sensitive process.”
Measures the companies should adopt
Koul lists some pointers to counter this threat;
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📌Adopt layered identity verification: Move beyond basic checks and implement multi-step verification processes similar to KYC used in financial institutions
📌Verify official documents digitally: Cross-check government-issued IDs such as Aadhaar or passports through trusted platforms like DigiLocker, instead of relying on scanned copies
📌Use real-time identity checks: During onboarding, ask for live verification that matches facial biometrics with official identity records to confirm the candidate is physically present
📌Understand the difference between “access” and “authenticity”: A scanned ID only shows access to a document, while verified digital identity confirms the person is real
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📌Conduct reverse image searches: A quick scan of profile photos can expose reused images, stock photos, or AI-generated faces used across fake identities
📌Watch for “too perfect” profiles: Highly polished resumes and images may indicate synthetic or AI-generated candidates.
📌Audit digital footprints: Cross-check a candidate’s professional claims with their online presence and activity history.
📌Look for timeline inconsistencies: Profiles claiming years of experience but created recently should be flagged for deeper scrutiny.
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📌Prioritise quick verification steps: Even simple checks taking a few seconds can prevent long-term security and hiring risks.
“Authentic professional journeys tend to be imperfect, at times also featuring inconsistent activity, varied connections, and organic endorsements, whereas fabricated profiles often appear overly polished and curated. This kind of contextual validation is increasingly critical in identifying synthetic identities or coordinated fake networks,” Koul adds.
According to Koul, the interview stage is crucial for spotting fraudulent candidates. While deepfakes can mimic faces and voices, they struggle with unscripted, real-time interactions. Simple spontaneous tasks, like showing an ID, changing location, or writing something on camera, can reveal inconsistencies. Signs such as lip-sync lag, odd lighting, or blurred edges may indicate manipulation. These checks don’t need advanced tools, just unpredictability.
Anirban Mukherji adds, “Hiring fraud is now a critical cybersecurity threat. To mitigate this risk, organisations must shift to a Zero-Trust onboarding model. This means moving beyond the interview to include hardware-backed biometrics, liveness verification, and independent validation of all credentials.”
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Koul lists some checks for HR
📌Use secure hiring platforms: Move beyond standard video tools to systems that can detect fraud, validate device integrity, and flag suspicious activity like avatars or overlays.
📌Don’t rely on traditional video calls: Regular conferencing platforms lack built-in safeguards for authenticity checks
📌Shift to source-based verification: Verify credentials directly through authoritative systems rather than relying on candidate-submitted documents
📌Leverage official databases: Education via National Academic Depository, such as Employment via EPFO records, Identity via Aadhaar-based e-KYC. Follow the principle: Trust the source, not the screenshot.
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📌Include in-person interviews for critical roles: At least one physical interaction can add a strong layer of verification.
📌Test real skills in real time: Use unscripted tasks like live problem-solving or spontaneous explanations to assess genuine capability.
📌Adopt a zero-trust onboarding approach: Start with limited access, gradually expand permissions based on behaviour.
📌Prepare for large-scale AI fraud: Automated systems may soon apply to jobs at scale and pass screening using deepfake identities.
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📌Understand systemic threats: Fake hires in critical sectors could compromise supply chains, IT systems, and infrastructure
Susan Mathew, Head – HR, LinkedIn India told indianexpress.com, “Trust is foundational to how we innovate at LinkedIn, and it becomes even more critical as new technology makes it easier to fake credibility. Professionals expect the people and companies they encounter on LinkedIn to be authentic, and we design our systems with that expectation at the core.”
Mathew said, “Today, members can verify key aspects of their professional identity, including who they are and where they work, using their government ID or work email through integrations with partners like CLEAR and Microsoft Entra. With over 100 million members verified globally, and more than 75 new verifications every minute, we are seeing credibility become central to how professionals build trust online.”
Alongside verification, LinkedIn continuously strengthens its ability to detect and prevent harmful activity. Using advanced technology and dedicated expert teams, LinkedIn analyses a wide range of signals, including account behaviour and proactively stops more than 99 per cent of fake accounts before a member ever reports them, Mathew adds.
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This shift is redefining HR as a frontline of cybersecurity, demanding closer collaboration with IT and security teams. Identity verification, fraud detection, and continuous monitoring must become standard in hiring. The reality is simple: if a process can be fooled by a polished resume and a stable connection, it is vulnerable. In an AI-driven world, securing the organisation starts with rethinking how we hire.
The Safe Side
As the world evolves, the digital landscape does too, bringing new opportunities—and new risks. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, exploiting vulnerabilities to their advantage. In our special feature series, we delve into the latest cybercrime trends and provide practical tips to help you stay informed, secure, and vigilant online.
