How Hiring Managers Are Fighting Fake Applicants That Don’t Even Exist

AI-generated résumés, avatars, and interviews are making HR teams rethink how they verify who’s real and who’s just really convincing.

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How Hiring Is Getting Weird

If you’re in HR and feel like job applications are getting a little... uncanny, you’re not alone. What used to be the domain of polished LinkedIn profiles and typo-free résumés has now shifted into a more unsettling arena: AI-generated candidates that look perfect, speak fluently, and, well, don’t actually exist.

Research firm Gartner predicts that by 2028, 25% of job applicants will be fake—fabricated by artificial intelligence and designed to pass through automated hiring filters, ATS systems, and even early-round interviews.

These are not your run-of-the-mill résumé exaggerators. We’re talking about full-blown synthetic personas, built from stolen or fabricated credentials, paired with deepfake video interviews and even real-time AI voice modulation.

From Fake Résumés to Fabricated Humans

Tools like ChatGPT and ElevenLabs have made it easy to write compelling cover letters and simulate live voices. Add in image generation tools like Midjourney or D-ID’s avatar tech, and suddenly, anyone can send in an application as someone else—or something else entirely.

A recent report from Kaspersky outlines real-world examples of deepfake applicants attempting to secure remote roles in IT and data science. Their goal? Gain access to internal systems for fraud or data theft.

he New Hiring Playbook

Employers are starting to respond. Companies like HireVue and Pymetrics are introducing verification protocols and behavioral testing tools to distinguish real candidates from fakes. Meanwhile, platforms like LinkedIn are actively rolling out identity verification features for job seekers.

According to a recent survey by SHRM, 73% of HR professionals report concerns over the authenticity of job applications. This concern is even higher for fully remote roles, where video interviews are often the only form of interaction.

“We’ve started requiring a live typing test over Zoom as part of our vetting process,” says Tamara Schultz, Head of Talent at a New York fintech startup. “It’s not high-tech, but it weeds out the fake people surprisingly well.”

What HR Teams Can Do Today

Here are some steps recruiters can take right now:

1. Require real-time video screening using platforms that verify liveness (e.g., FaceTec).

2. Cross-check identity using government-issued ID verification tools, such as ID.me.

3. Test soft skills live, rather than relying on pre-recorded video responses.

4. Use AI to detect AI. Services like Sensity AI help detect deepfakes embedded in job applications.

5. Watch for over-perfection. Candidates with flawless résumés, buzzword-heavy answers, and oddly neutral body language may raise red flags.

Final Thoughts

HR teams now need a dual skill set: hiring for human talent while screening out synthetic ones. This is more than a passing concern—it’s an arms race between recruiters and fraudsters. The winners will be those who can combine technology with intuition, and who aren't afraid to ask a few unexpected questions along the way.

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