What is candidate fraud, and how can recruiters prevent it?

Great hiring used to be about asking the right questions. Now, it’s about knowing who’s even in the room. 

The rise of remote hiring processes and AI tools is fueling a surge in candidate fraud: applicants deliberately misrepresenting who they are, what they can do or why they’re applying. 

As fraud increases and becomes harder to detect, recruiters spend more time sorting spam and less time with real candidates. To hire with confidence and avoid wasted resources, it’s vital to understand what candidate fraud looks like today, recognize how it shows up in the hiring process and take steps to strengthen defenses against it.

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What is candidate fraud?

Put simply, candidate fraud is the intentional use of deceptive tactics or fabricated information to gain employment or access under false pretenses. That can include everything from falsifying credentials, work samples and work histories to using AI-driven deepfake technology to impersonate someone else during video interviews.
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What are the most common types of candidate fraud?

Candidate fraud takes many forms. Some cases involve individuals trying to secure jobs under false pretenses, while others include organized or automated efforts to exploit hiring systems for access or data.



We’re seeing a huge uptick in phishing campaigns.

^{– Clarence Lal, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Planet Labs PBC}

Understanding these distinctions helps recruiters separate harmless embellishment from genuine fraud and identify red flags early. Common examples of candidate fraud include:

• Identity fraud: When a person applies under a false or stolen identity. This may include falsified government documents, borrowed credentials or stolen personal data used to gain access to sensitive systems or roles.
• Impersonation and deepfake fraud: When candidates use a stand-in during interviews, real-time coaching through earpieces or AI-generated avatars to conceal who they are. This kind of deception is becoming more sophisticated in remote and video-based hiring.
• Document and reference fraud: Fabricating work histories, references or certifications that never existed. These cases often involve convincing digital forgeries or altered verification materials, not simple résumé padding. For example, 28% of candidates admit to using AI to generate fake work samples, according to the 2025 Greenhouse Workforce & Hiring Report.
• Assessment and skills fraud: Outsourcing technical tests or hiring others to complete assignments intended to demonstrate a candidate’s own skills. Using AI-generated work samples or using AI to complete an assessment might also fall in this category, depending on the employer’s policies around AI use.

Each of these tactics erodes trust, slows down hiring and introduces financial, reputational and data security risks. Knowing how fraud shows up across the hiring process helps recruiters take the right steps to prevent it.

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4 ways to address candidate fraud

With the right processes and safeguards, you can cut through fake applications and stay focused on genuine candidates. Here’s where to start:

Reinforce structured hiring practices: Most recruiters already use structured hiring in some form, but evolving fraud tactics mean it’s time to review and strengthen those processes. Start by auditing your interview questions, scorecards and evaluation criteria to make sure they’re designed to reveal genuine skills. For example, scenario-based or problem-solving questions can make it harder for a candidate to fake knowledge or rely on pre-written scripts.

Involve hiring managers in this review, since they often know which questions expose real expertise and which ones are easier to bluff. Then, audit your hiring process across departments to confirm structured practices are applied consistently. A stronger, more uniform approach reduces weak spots where fraudulent candidates or impersonators can slip through.

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Strengthen identity verification: Identity fraud is one of the most serious and costly forms of candidate fraud, especially for larger organizations or industries most often targeted by cyber attackers. The best way to reduce the risk is to verify identities early in the recruiting cycle. 

We’re taking extra care to verify candidates who advance beyond the initial screen, so our time and attention go to the right people. Simple steps like holding early Zoom calls or asking more detailed questions about work history can help confirm authenticity early and prevent issues later.

^{– Bronté Chappell, Greenhouse Talent Acquisition Manager}

Instead of relying on resumes and self-reported details, you can now use trusted third-party services that confirm candidates are who they say they are. For example, Greenhouse has partnered with CLEAR to offer private, secure identity verification built directly into your workflow.

These checks use official government IDs and biometric matching to validate identity in minutes, without creating extra friction for candidates. By verifying authenticity up front, you save time and resources that would otherwise be spent chasing down red flags later in the process.
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Build integrity into assessments: Skills-based hiring is growing, but without guardrails, it’s vulnerable to fraud. Candidates may outsource tests, use unauthorized tools or use AI in ways that don’t align with employer policy. To protect integrity, design assessments with time limits, monitoring features and opportunities to validate results in follow-up interviews. A short live review or verbal walkthrough after an assignment can quickly confirm authenticity.

When assessments are fair and well-structured, they filter out fraudulent candidates and give genuine applicants the chance to shine. This helps you identify the right talent while reinforcing the credibility of your hiring workflow.
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Use AI responsibly: While some candidates misuse AI, you can still harness it for good. AI-powered tools can flag suspicious patterns in applications, detect inconsistencies in candidate information and automate time-consuming verification tasks. For instance, AI can identify repeat submissions from the same IP address – a common sign of bot-driven activity – or spot mismatched data between resumes and online profiles, which may indicate identity fraud or impersonation.

Used correctly, AI becomes an ally in spotting fraud and protecting the candidate experience. The key is to use AI as an assistant, not a replacement. Human oversight is still important, but AI can take on repetitive checks so you can spend more time building real connections with candidates.
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Take charge of your hiring pipeline

‍‍From fake credentials to AI-generated responses, the noise in your pipeline is only growing and making it harder for real candidates to break through.

Protecting the integrity of your hiring process starts with structure, vigilance and the right use of technology. By tightening verification practices, strengthening assessments and staying proactive against fraud, you can create a faster, fairer and more trustworthy hiring experience.
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Ready to save time and connect with the right candidates? Download this guide for data-driven insights.