FBI Warns Scammers are Using Deepfakes to Apply for Remote Tech Jobs
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Are you an employer trying to fill vacancies for remote roles in information technology, programming, database, and software related jobs? If so, you need to be aware of scammers and cybercriminals using deepfake technology and stolen personally identifiable information, during online job interviews.
Deepfakes are false audio and visual representations of a real person that are computer-generated and are used in scams. Deepfake technology is being tried out in various ways by cybercriminals, as it is becoming more convincing and affordable.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released a public service announcement (PSA) warning employers about scammers using deepfakes to apply for remote jobs. These criminals are then able to access sensitive information from their new employer through these jobs. Some of the reported positions could have given these cybercriminals access to personally identifiable information related to customers, IT databases, financial data, and proprietary information.
According to the FBI, the majority of the complaints are coming from technology companies, since these fraudsters seem to be targeting this industry the most. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is pressure to continue remote work or work-from-home, especially in the information technology industry. The scammers are using deepfakes, synthetic audio, image, and video content through artificial intelligence or machine-learning technologies, to trick employers into waiving their applications through. Clearly, this is causing great concern in many industries due to potential threats, like phishing.
The FBI noted that in some of these cases, employers found out that the personally identifiable information submitted by some of the applicants did not belong to them, after they did the pre-employment background checks. It is obviously very important to do background checks, but managers should also learn how they can spot a person using deepfakes during an online interview; and then report stolen personally identifiable information immediately, because replicating an identity with such vital information, like one’s name, date of birth and address, is very easy.
How can you detect if a candidate is using deepfake technology during an online interview?
Stolen images and credentials found on the dark web are being used by criminals to create their deepfakes. They are using these fraudulent audios and videos to impersonate real candidates in online job interviews.
Here are some things you can observe and do in order to spot a deepfake:
- Notice the actions and lip movements – in deepfakes these do not coordinate with the audio of the person speaking.
- Look out for actions such as coughing, sneezing, or other auditory actions – they should be aligned with what is presented visually.
- Pre-employment background checks are a must! They have been instrumental in alarming employers that the information being used to apply for the job actually belongs to another person.
The FBI has mentioned in their PSA that companies or victims who identify this type of activity should report it to the IC3, www.ic3.gov.
For more information on this, you may read the FBI’s public service announcement here.
