Deepfakes, AI resumes, and the growing threat of fake applicants

This report outlines emerging recruitment-fraud techniques where fake applicants leverage AI-generated resumes, stolen or fabricated identities, coaching scripts, and occasional deepfakes to evade screening, with goals ranging from financial fraud and identity/documentation abuse to probing systems and gaining corporate access. It highlights observable red flags (identical resume patterns, mismatched locations, camera avoidance, delayed coached responses) and the broader risk to organizations and social platforms. Recommended mitigations include earlier identity verification with video, cross-checking details, watching for behavioral inconsistencies, and implementing secure, least-privilege onboarding with MFA and vetted devices.