Scammers are using artificial intelligence to alter their appearance and build fake profiles to apply for remote job postings, research shows.
Already, scammers can use AI at almost every step in the job application process to hide their true identities. They can generate fake resumes, professional headshots, websites and Linkedin profiles. Compiled together, AI can help create what looks like the perfect candidate for an open role.
Once they’re in, these fraudsters can steal company secrets or install malware.
While identity theft is not new, AI is helping scammers scale their operations, and the problem is growing. According to research and advisory firm Gartner, an estimated one in four job applicants will be fake by 2028.
How to spot a fake
A recording of an interview with what appeared to be an AI-generated job seeker went viral on LinkedIn, posted by Dawid Moczadlo, co-founder of cybersecurity firm Vidoc Security. He told CBS News he was shocked when he realized what was happening.
“I felt a little bit violated, because we are the security experts,” Moczadlo said.
Moczadlo said when he suspected the person was using an AI filter, he asked a simple question: “Can you take your hand and put it in front of your face?”
Vidoc Security 
When they refused, Moczadlo immediately ended the interview. He explained that the software the scammer was using didn’t seem sophisticated, so blocking the person’s face with their hand would likely “break” the deepfake face filter.
“Sometimes it takes a hacker to find a hacker,” Moczadlo said.
This was the second time the company had interviewed someone who turned out to be AI-generated. Moczadlo said it completely changed the company’s hiring process. Now, potential employees are flown in for a one-day, in-person interview. The company covers travel and pays for a full day of work. It believes the extra cost is worth the peace of mind.
A pattern of deception
These incidents aren’t isolated. The Justice Department has uncovered multiple networks in which North Koreans used fake identities to land remote jobs in the U.S. They often use AI to build fake identities and work U.S.-based IT jobs to funnel U.S. dollars to their home country.
The Justice Department estimates these schemes generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually, with much of those funds going directly to the North Korean Ministry of Defense and the country’s nuclear missile program.
Moczadlo said researchers told him Vidoc’s fake job seekers followed a similar pattern to several of these North Korean networks, though Vidoc’s incident is still under investigation.
“We are really lucky that we are security experts.” Moczadlo added, “but for companies that have regular people like hiring managers or regular startup founders, it’s really hard for them to spot something like this.”
The reaction inspired Vidoc’s co-founders to build a guide to help HR professionals across industries spot potentially fraudulent applicants.
If you’re wondering if this has ever happened to you, the CBS News Confirmed team has compiled some general best-practices to check that the person you’re speaking to is real:
1. Look closer at their LinkedIn profile: While the profile might look legitimate at first glance, check the creation date by clicking on the “More” button and then selecting “About this profile.” You can also check that the person has connections at the places they say they’ve worked.
2. Ask cultural questions: If someone says they grew up in a specific country or city, ask about things only a local might know, like their favorite cafes and restaurants.
3. In-person is best: At the end of the day, especially as AI technology advances, the only way to really know that a person is who they say they are, is to meet them face-to-face.
