The Deepfake Dilemma

In the era of AI-generated everything, one question is becoming uncomfortably real for hiring managers:

What if the candidate you’re interviewing… doesn’t actually exist?

The deepfake dilemma is not just disrupting politics or celebrity news. It has quietly entered the hiring world, especially in remote IT and tech staffing. With convincing AI-generated videos and spoofed credentials, fraudulent candidates can now pass interviews without ever showing their real face.

If that sounds like sci-fi, you’re not alone. But it’s already happening.

What’s Really Going On with Deepfakes in Hiring?

These days, a strong resume and a polished video call aren’t always enough to prove someone’s identity. In 2024 and 2025, multiple cases have surfaced where:

• Video interviews used deepfake video overlays to impersonate someone else.
  
• Candidates relied on AI voice modulation to disguise their real identity.
  
• Job seekers subcontracted technical interviews or work to someone else entirely.
  

Some cases were harmless, others tied to serious cybersecurity threats, including foreign actors attempting to infiltrate corporate systems through remote tech jobs.

Why Hiring a Fake Person Isn’t Just Embarrassing

Don’t fall for a deepfake. A bad hire costs time and money. A fake hire risks a lot more:

• Security exposure from unknown individuals accessing sensitive systems
• Wasted onboarding time and lost productivity
• Broken team trust when deception comes to light
• Brand reputation at risk if word gets out

You’re not just protecting your pipeline, you’re protecting your people, your systems, and your credibility.

4 Ways to Spot (and Stop) a Deepfake Dilemma

You don’t need to become a cybersecurity expert. Just add some smart guardrails to your hiring process:

1. Validate in Real Time

Incorporate live coding challenges, unscheduled check-ins, or on-camera assessments that require immediate responses.

2. Bring in More Eyes

Multiple interviewers = multiple chances to catch strange behavior or inconsistent answers.

3. Trust (But Verify) the Details

Look out for subtle signals like:

• Lip movements that don’t match speech
  
• Audio lags or digital “glitches”
  
• Overly rehearsed or robotic phrasing
  

These might not prove anything, but they should prompt a second look.

4. Work with a Trusted Staffing Partner

Recruiting firms like CRB Workforce rigorously vet candidates, before you ever see a resume. No bots. No gimmicks. Just pre-qualified tech and marketing talent you can trust.

This Isn’t Just a Tech Issue, It’s a Human One

Ironically, as tech grows more sophisticated, authenticity becomes your most valuable asset. Real candidates stand out for more than their skills, they bring curiosity, reliability, and emotional intelligence that no AI can replicate.

If you’re hiring for technical or marketing roles, it’s time to look beyond the surface, and make sure what’s real, stays real.

Bonus Resource

Want to see what other companies are paying top talent in 2025? Curious where your open roles sit in the current compensation landscape?

Download the CRB Workforce 2025 Salary Guide for IT and Marketing roles. No fluff, just real numbers and actionable data.