Faked resume credentials are not unheard of, but faked identities? They’re going to cause an increasing number of issues in the coming years. The cases of candidate fraud are growing in number, particularly when it comes to remote roles where it is much harder to verify the identity of a candidate. Considering the number of job applications an organization receives for a single post, it can often be challenging to divest enough time to set aside the fake candidate profiles from the real ones without the risk of losing out on top talent.
Particularly due to the rising capabilities of AI, fake applicants are now able to create everything from a false background to an AI-generated image to go along with the profile. Creating a falsified image on a video call is also possible with the technology available today, making it twice as hard to spot fake applicants. Unsurprisingly, the data suggests that matters are only going to get worse from here on.
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Are You Concerned About the Rising Threat of Candidate Fraud?
A new report from Gartner suggests that by 2028, one in four candidate profiles worldwide could be fake. This information is based on evidence that suggests that many applicants are already conducting interview fraud. A survey showed that of the 3,000 surveyed candidates, around 6% admitted to participating in interview fraud by either posing as someone else or having someone else play their role in an interview. This allows candidates to capitalize on the expertise of those around them, while lacking the knowledge or skills necessary to hold the role themselves.
Applications where other candidates aid each other in finding the right job are of lower significance compared to the larger threat of AI-based fake applicants invading the hiring process. In 2025, 39% of candidates are using AI to improve their chances of getting hired. This makes it harder for hiring teams to trust candidate profiles and the skills and qualifications listed on them, or even treat their response to application questions as authentic.
These strategies are fairly innocuous, as many hiring managers have begun to promote the use of AI-based applications. Candidates largely use AI to generate text for their resumes and cover letters, while a smaller number admit to using AI tools for writing samples and answers to questions posed during assessments. These uses increase the risk of inflated profiles and responses that inaccurately portray the employee’s capabilities.
Candidates Are Equally Worried About Employers Using AI in Hiring
The rising use of AI in hiring is not one-sided. Recruiters have also admitted to using AI in their hiring process, and there have been cases of AI tools conducting interviews that have gone terribly for candidates. Only around 26% of job candidates believe that AI tools will fairly evaluate their applications, with 32% worried they would be failed by AI tools. Gartner also found that 25% of job applicants trust their employers less if they use AI.
Unfortunately for candidates, hiring teams rarely disclose if they are using AI in the hiring process, either to sift through the applications or for deeper evaluations, making it harder to distinguish how the recruitment is taking place.
The use of AI in hiring opens up many conversations regarding bias and discrimination, but unfortunately, the assumption that the other party has already used AI encourages both sides to alter their approach to the hiring process.
Learning How to Spot Fake Applicants Is a Must in the Coming Years
As technological tools grow more advanced, candidate fraud will become increasingly common, just as ghost job postings and complex AI-based recruitment tools will. With one in four profiles likely to be fake by 2028, recruiters and HR teams will have to refine their hiring methods to spot fake applicants with greater ease. Not only will this be essential to hire qualified candidates, but it will also help reduce the likelihood of miscreants with fake candidate profiles gaining access to sensitive company data.
To address job applicant fraud, HR might have to devise more complex testing methods to fairly evaluate all candidates for their capabilities of performing their jobs as expected. Too complex and candidates might lose interest, but keeping things overly simple might leave the system open to exploitation. There is a healthy middle ground that has to be found.
In-person interviews are also a good way to ensure the legitimacy of candidates, or using ID verification software to aid in the hiring process. Background checks will also have to be conducted thoroughly. The more comprehensive the testing is before hiring, the easier it will be to guarantee that the candidates are genuinely capable and interested in securing the job.
The threat of candidate fraud is not one in the distant future but a matter of concern currently, as incidents of exploitation have already begun to surface. It is important to get started on a concrete strategy to address these concerns.