HR’s 2025 Guide to Preventing Interview and Onboarding Fraud
A Wake-Up Call for HR in the Age of Deepfakes and Remote Work
By 2025, HR teams face an urgent challenge: fake applicants using AI-generated resumes and deepfake videos. Fraud once seen as rare has become a weekly hurdle for talent acquisition. From fake IT workers tied to nation-states to sophisticated interview proxies, the threats are varied and advanced.
According to HYPR’s 2025 State of Passwordless Identity Assurance report, 95% of organizations encountered a deepfake incident in the past year, and nearly 40% suffered a GenAI-related security breach. This guide offers 10 practical steps HR can take now to detect, prevent, and respond to identity fraud during hiring and onboarding.
1. Clarify Cross-Functional Ownership of Hiring Fraud
Hiring fraud impacts HR, Security, and IT, yet responsibilities often overlap or remain unclear. Align all stakeholders by creating a joint fraud prevention task force. Assign an executive sponsor such as a CHRO or CISO to oversee hiring fraud efforts and ensure accountability.
2. Assume Everyone Is Fake, Then Build From There
Adopt a fraud-first mindset. Treat candidate deception as a standard risk and develop workflows to flag, escalate, and investigate suspicious applications. Involve teams across security, compliance, and legal for peer validation of flagged candidates.
Toolkit Tip: Use a brief “authenticity check” script during early recruiter conversations to standardize screening.
3. Adapt Screening Depth by Role Sensitivity
Not all roles require the same level of scrutiny. Segment positions into low, medium, and high trust tiers. For example, use basic identity verification for an entry-level role but apply full identity checks and continuity monitoring for leadership or sensitive technical roles.
Toolkit Tip: Include screening tiers directly in your job requisition templates.
4. Add AI Forgery Resilience to Your Hiring Workflow
As AI-generated candidates get more convincing, relying solely on human judgment isn’t enough. Train your team on AI forgery risks and integrate automated tools that detect suspicious videos, voice samples, and documents. Make pre-screening and digital identity verification a standard part of your hiring tech stack.
Toolkit Tip: Run “fraud injection” drills in your interview and onboarding processes to test system and team readiness.
5. Use Digital Footprint Signals to Automate Resume Validation
Fake resumes and fabricated work histories are becoming common. Don’t trust instincts alone—automate checks by cross-referencing LinkedIn profiles with resumes and portfolios like GitHub or Behance. Watch for mismatches such as Gmail addresses used for executive roles or suspicious employer claims.
Toolkit Tip: Employ pre-screening software that incorporates digital footprint analysis to flag high-risk candidates before interviews.
6. Verify Identity Before the Interview
Don’t wait until a candidate seems promising to verify their identity. Require multi-factor verification at the application or pre-interview stage, including biometric checks and document validation. Confirm location through IP and device fingerprinting to reduce risk early.
Toolkit Tip: Integrate solutions like HYPR Affirm into your applicant tracking system (ATS) such as Greenhouse or Lever for automated fraud screening.
7. Screen for Location Spoofing and Jurisdiction Risks
Remote candidates may falsify their location to bypass restrictions. Use real-time geolocation tools to verify physical presence and block applicants from embargoed countries or unsupported regions.
Toolkit Tip: Use Affirm’s geolocation features to automate compliance and reduce liability.
8. Require Live Video Interviews with Consent-Based Checks
Prevent interview fraud by requiring live video interviews with clear candidate consent. Ask candidates to show a government-issued ID on camera and perform a unique gesture or phrase to confirm identity. Keep cameras on and record interviews for later verification if needed.
Toolkit Tip: Store recordings securely for internal reviews when inconsistencies arise.
9. Confirm Continuity with Biometric Re-Verification
Proxies often vanish after initial interviews. Perform biometric liveness detection at key points, such as final interviews or offer stages, to ensure the same individual participates throughout the process.
Toolkit Tip: Automate re-verification workflows using tools like Affirm tied to hiring stage transitions.
10. Make Identity Verification an Ongoing Process
Hiring is just the start of maintaining workforce integrity. Conduct periodic re-verifications, especially for high-risk or privileged roles. Apply identity checks during role changes, contractor onboarding, and access escalations to stay ahead of fraud.
Toolkit Tip: Implement continuous identity verification strategies to address evolving threats.
HYPR’s Candidate Verification Solution for HR Teams
In a remote and hybrid hiring landscape, confirming candidate identity is more challenging and critical than ever. HYPR Affirm helps HR teams securely verify candidates before day one, lowering risk and speeding up onboarding.
- Government ID Verification: Advanced checks for passports and driver’s licenses.
- Location & Device Checks: Confirm logins come from trusted geographies and devices.
- Liveness Detection & Facial Matching: Ensure the person on screen matches their ID and is present live.
- Frictionless Remote Workflows: Remove the need for in-person ID checks and accelerate hires.
Learn more about how organizations secure candidate verification and onboarding with HYPR Affirm on their Candidate Verification and Onboarding page.
Start with an Identity Verification Audit
HR is no longer just a gatekeeper of talent—it’s a key player in enterprise security. These 10 tactics help HR teams detect deception, prevent fraud, and work closely with Security and IT to confirm workforce authenticity. The best place to begin is with your current employees. Conduct an identity verification audit to quickly identify hidden risks without complex system integrations.
Key Takeaways
- Treat identity fraud as a common risk, not a rare event.
- Use biometric verification, location screening, and digital footprint analysis to reduce onboarding fraud.
- Collaborate with Security and IT to clarify ownership and build fraud-resistant hiring workflows.
- Deepfake and AI-driven applicant fraud is happening now—shift from reactive to proactive identity assurance.
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