“The candidate” may not be a single person: Deepfakes, proxy interviews, and synthetic personas

Bottom line 

Identity fraud is no longer just a matter of the wrong name appearing on paperwork. 

In more sophisticated cases, it can involve a coordinated handoff: one person interviews, another person starts the assignment and someone else supports or completes the work behind the scenes. 

For organizations that rely on contingent labour, contractor programs and remote hiring models, this creates a new kind of workforce risk. The question is not only whether the candidate is qualified. It is whether the person being evaluated is the same person who will show up, gain access and perform the work. 

Executive summary 

Impersonation fraud has become more difficult to detect as remote interviewing, AI-enabled tools and distributed work models have become more common. 

Proxy interviews, synthetic personas and deepfake-assisted video calls can make it easier for bad actors to present credibility during the hiring process while separating identity from capability. In other words, the individual who performs well in the interview may not be the same person who joins the team or delivers the work. 

For procurement and workforce leaders, the relevant question is not simply, “Can this happen?” 

It’s: “Which roles require stronger expectations around interview integrity, identity continuity and onboarding confirmation?” 

This distinction matters because not every role needs the same level of scrutiny. But roles with high access, high impact or elevated business risk require a more intentional approach. That includes roles with access to sensitive systems, client environments, financial information, proprietary data, critical infrastructure or high-value deliverables. 

The goal is not to make every hiring process slower. The goal is to apply the right level of verification to the right roles, based on risk. 

What this is not 

This is not a claim that deepfakes are everywhere, or an argument against remote interviewing. 

And it is not a recommendation to add unnecessary friction to every hire. 

Remote hiring is now a standard part of how organizations access talent, especially in contingent workforce programs. The challenge is not remote work itself. The challenge is ensuring that the hiring process has enough structure to confirm identity and capability at the points where it matters most. 

What it looks like 

A candidate interviews exceptionally well. They answer technical questions with confidence, communicate clearly and appear well aligned to the role. 

The onboarding process moves quickly. 

Within weeks, the team notices that delivery quality is inconsistent. The person avoids live collaboration, delays working sessions and struggles to explain decisions in real time. Over time, the hiring team realizes that the voice, cadence, problem-solving style and technical confidence do not match the interview experience. 

The issue is not simply underperformance. It raises a more serious question: was the person who interviewed the same person who started the assignment? 

That is the risk identity continuity is meant to address. 

Practical procurement delivery 

Procurement does not need to turn hiring into an investigation. But it can help set clearer expectations for roles where identity continuity matters most. 

A stronger approach is to define role-tiered requirements across the workforce program. Procurement and workforce leaders should clarify: 

• Which roles require stronger interview integrity controls. 
• What identity continuity should look like between interview, onboarding and start of work. 
• When live, interactive capability validation is required. 
• How suppliers confirm that the individual presented during hiring is the same individual being onboarded. 
• What should trigger escalation if delivery patterns do not match the interview experience. 
• How concerns are documented and reviewed across suppliers, roles and business units. 

This is especially important in contingent workforce environments, where speed, multiple suppliers and distributed teams can make accountability less clear. 

When identity continuity is not clearly owned, gaps can emerge between the interview, onboarding and delivery experience. 

Start here 

Start by identifying the roles where identity mismatch would create the greatest risk. 

For high-impact roles, require at least one live, interactive capability moment where identity and performance are evaluated together. This could include a structured technical discussion, a real-time problem-solving exercise, a role-specific working session or another validated interaction that confirms both who the person is and how they perform. 

From there, align procurement, talent acquisition, IT, security, legal, HR, hiring managers and suppliers on what is required before the engagement begins. 

The standard should be clear before there is a concern. 

Next steps 

Identity fraud is becoming more sophisticated, but organizations can reduce risk by setting clearer expectations across the hiring and onboarding process. 

The right workforce partner can help organizations define role-based controls, strengthen supplier expectations and build a more consistent approach to candidate and contractor verification.

About the author

Simon Gray, Vice President, Workforce Solutions

With over 25 years of experience in strategic staffing, Simon leads Procom’s Workforce Solutions division to help clients hire quickly and compliantly.