Scammers are using artificial knowledge to change their appearance and create fake profiles to apply for rural job postings, study shows.
Now, scammers you at almost every step in the job application process to hide their true identities. They can produce false begins, professional shots, websites and Linkedin profiles. Compiled up, AI may help create what looks like the ideal candidate for an available position.
Once they’re in, these fraudsters may seize company secrets or mount malware.
While identity theft is not new, AI is helping scammers size their activities, and the problem is growing. According to research and consulting firm Gartner , an estimated one in four career applicants may be false by 2028.
How to spot a fraudulent
A recording of an interview with what appeared to be an AI-generated job seeker went viral on Linked In, 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 surveillance specialists,” Moczadlo said.
Moczadlo said when he suspected the man was using an AI screen, he asked a simple query:” Can you take your hand and put it in front of your face? “
When they refused, Moczadlo quickly ended the meeting. He explained that the software the scammer was using didn’t seem complex, but blocking the person’s face with their hand would likely “break” the algorithmic face filter.
” Maybe it takes a thief to find a thief,” Moczadlo said.
This was the next time the company had interviewed people who turned out to be AI-generated. Moczadlo said it completely changed the agency’s hiring process. Today, potential employees are flown in for a one-day, in-person meeting. The business covers journey and pays for a full day of work. It believes the additional cost is worth the peace of mind.
A style of fraud
These situations aren’t isolated. The Justice Department has numerous sites in which North Koreans used fake personalities to get remote work in the U. S. They usually use AI to develop false identities and work U. S. -based IT work to cone U. S. money to their home state.
The Justice Department estimates these strategies generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually, with much of those money going straight to the North Korean Ministry of Defense and the country’s nuclear weapon system.
Moczadlo said experts told him Vidoc’s false job seekers followed a similar pattern to several of these North Korean systems, though Vidoc’s event is still under investigation.
” We are really happy that we are security professionals. ” Moczadlo added,” but for companies that have normal people like hiring professionals or regular business owners, it’s really hard for them to place something like this. “
The reaction inspired Vidoc’s co-founders to create a guide to help HR professionals across sectors 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.