In today’s competitive job market, 1 in 3 hiring managers report having encountered some form of candidate fraud during the hiring process. As remote work continues to evolve, candidate fraud has become a rising concern for employers. With advanced technologies like Generative AI and deepfakes, unscrupulous candidates have found new ways to manipulate resumes, deceive during interviews, and even falsify identities. At BridgeView, we recognize the evolving nature of these tactics and have implemented robust anti-fraud measures to ensure we recruit legitimate and qualified talent. Here are some common forms of candidate fraud, and six ways BridgeView combats them to protect your business from fraudulent hires.

Common Forms of Candidate Fraud

  1. Fake Resumes and LinkedIn Accounts: The most common form of candidate fraud is doctored resumes. Either a skilled candidate adds additional work experience, education, or certifications to bolster their qualifications, or an unskilled candidate creates a totally fictional resume and LinkedIn profile. GenAI, like ChatGPT, has become a handy tool to create resume content, and many candidates are pasting job descriptions into ChatGPT and asking it to create the resume catered to that position. Some candidates create multiple “proxy” LinkedIn profiles to lure more employers and secure multiple jobs. 
  2. Bait and Switch: An unqualified candidate may attempt to have a highly skilled candidate take their place for an interview. This occurs most frequently on phone interviews, but also on video interview, and even on in-person interviews. Another form of the bait and switch is when a skilled candidate accepts a job offer and subcontracts someone else to perform the work remotely, presenting the work as their own.
  3. Bench and Switch: Subcontracting agencies and third-party vendors sometimes sponsor hundreds of bench employee’s H1B Visas and EADs. Desperate to monetize these individuals, they are marketed as “available immediately” with inflated skills. Creative tactics are used to help them pass technical assessments and interviews in order to receive a job offer. Most often, once they get the job, the actual work is being done offshore.
  4. Falsified Identification: If a skilled worker is not authorized to work permanently in the United States, they will sometimes falsify their identification in order to get a job. More frequently, their identification is stolen, or “borrowed” from a legitimate person so they can pass through the onboarding process. If the employer does not visually match up the candidate they interviewed with their photo ID, they can work illegally and even receive unemployment benefits. 
  5. Deepfakes: Deepfake technology has become more prevalent with rise of virtual interviews, especially in the technology industry due to the high volume of remote jobs. Synthetic media can be used by fake candidates to hide their identities during video interviews. The FBI has issued warnings about these deepfakes after a North Korean hacker altered his photo to look more American so he could get hired by a U.S security vendor and load malware.
  6. Insider Threats: Insider threats—where employees or contractors use legitimate employment opportunities to steal data or cause harm—are another growing concern. According to Cybersecurity Insiders, 31% of data breaches in 2023 were attributed to insider threats. This means that employees and contractors, hired under legitimate pretenses, took the job with malicious intentions.  

BridgeView’s Anti-Fraud Measures 

BridgeView screens hundreds of candidates every month, so we have developed a methodical process to help combat candidate fraud. These are some of the procedures and tools we use to help our clients hire talented and legitimate employees and contractors.  

  1. Digital ID Verification: Using TurboCheck, we can identify fake candidates using only their name, email and phone number in less than 5 seconds. This toll scans the internet to check if their phone number is a legitimate mobile or land line, and if their email is associated with typical online accounts. TurboCheck has found that around 30% of IT candidates were merely “empty shells”.
  2. Photo Identification and E-Verify: Once a candidate has accepted a job offer, we request a photo ID and run an E-Verify check to ensure their employment eligibility. This cross-check helps confirm that the person hired matches the individual who interviewed.
  3. Video Screening: Meeting candidates via Zoom or MS Teams is helpful not only to ask technical questions but also to confirm the candidate’s identity. We can request a legal form of visual identification or match their LinkedIn profile against the candidate’s appearance. 
  4. Online Technical Assessments: Using Glider AI, we send candidates an online technical assessment from a library of over 300 test options, all of which can all be customized. To ensure legitimate results, Glider has multiple proctoring settings that includes facial capture and match, facial detection, and screen sharing so we can track browser activity during the test.
  5. Reference Checks: Using RefAssured, candidates provide references which automatically sends the reference a quick survey to rate their performance and eligibility for rehire. Additionally, RefAssured monitors IP activity and geolocates the reference giver to prevent fraud. 
  6. Employment Verification and Background Checks: We partner with Choice Screening to verify candidate’s employment history, education, and conduct criminal background checks going back seven years, ensuring that every hire is thoroughly vetted.
  7. Work Location Confirmation: To confirm that remote employees are working from their stated location, we can request a Google Maps location share, providing additional assurance of a candidate’s authenticity. 

At BridgeView, we understand the challenges that remote work and evolving technology bring to hiring. By utilizing methods like digital ID verification, video screening, and comprehensive background checks, we help clients significantly reduce the risk of fraudulent hires. By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the risks of candidate fraud. If you need help implementing these practices, BridgeView is here to support you. Please reach out—we’re ready to assist in safeguarding your hiring process. 

Written: October 2024