What if the person you're interviewing remotely isn't actually the candidate?

It sounds far fetched, but deepfake technology is a real concern in recruitment.

According to data from First Advantage (Jan 2026 blog), 69% of UK hiring leaders cite AI-enabled impersonation and deepfake technologies as the most sophisticated emerging threat to recruitment integrity.

Last year, Pindrop also published a couple of accounts based on its own experience with deepfake job candidates, including candidates using real time face-swapping technology during live interviews.

So, what can interviewers look out for?

Potential red flags when you're interviewing a candidate remotely may include the following (note that other factors such as technical issues can create similar effects):

·       Lip movements that don't quite match the speech
·       Unnatural or delayed facial expressions
·       Blurring or inconsistencies around the face
·       Changes in voice quality, tone or cadence

If something doesn't feel quite right, there are a few things you can try.

Ask the candidate to turn off their background blur or virtual background. This won't prove that you're looking at a deepfake, but it may reveal inconsistencies that were hidden by the filter.

You can also ask them to adjust their camera or move slightly within the frame and see whether the visual quality or facial features remain consistent.

As always, I recommend ensuring you have at least one in-person interview wherever possible.

If you're interviewing candidates and want to talk through your interview process, I'm happy to help.