The Face of Fraud: How Scammers Use Deepfakes to Ace Developer Interviews (and How to Catch Them)

The New Frontier of Deception

For years, the biggest hiring risk for founders was a "puffed up" resume. Today, the risk is much more surreal: the person you are interviewing might not actually exist at least, not as they appear on your screen.

We are seeing a massive surge in AI developer impersonation. Using real-time deepfake software, scammers are now able to swap their faces and voices to match stolen identities, passing video interviews and gaining access to sensitive company repositories. At Founders Don't Forget (FDF), we believe that understanding this technology is the only way to defend against it.

How the Deepfake Hiring Scam Works

Scammers don't just use deepfakes for fun; they use them as part of a sophisticated "proxy hiring" ring.

• The Stolen Identity: The scammer finds a high-quality developer profile on LinkedIn or GitHub and steals their photos, name, and work history.
• The Real-Time Overlay: During the Zoom or Google Meet interview, the scammer uses software (like DeepFaceLive) to overlay the stolen face onto their own.
• The Ghost Employee: Once hired, the "Deepfake" disappears. The actual work is either not done at all or is outsourced to a low-quality "shadow team" that now has access to your proprietary code.

5 Visual and Audio "Glitches" to Watch For

Real-time deepfakes are good, but they aren't perfect. If you know where to look, you can spot the mask slipping.

1. The "Side Profile" Reveal

Deepfake models struggle with extreme angles.

• The Test: Ask the candidate to turn their head fully to the left and then fully to the right.
• The Glitch: You will often see the digital mask "flicker" or disappear around the edges of the jawline or ears when they move away from a front-facing view.

2. Unnatural Blinking and Eye Movement

AI often forgets to simulate the micro-movements of human eyes.

• The Glitch: The candidate may blink at an irregular rate (too fast or not at all), or their eyes may not track naturally with their head movements. Look for a "glassy" or robotic stare.

3. The "Lip-Sync" Lag (Audio Latency)

Processing a real-time deepfake takes massive computing power, which often causes a slight delay.

• The Glitch: Watch the mouth closely. Is the audio perfectly synced with the lip movements? If the voice is slightly ahead of or behind the visual, it’s a major red flag for a digital overlay.

4. Lighting and Shadow Inconsistencies

AI models often fail to replicate the way real light hits a moving face.

• The Glitch: If the candidate moves their hand in front of their face, does the shadow look realistic? Does the lighting on their nose match the lighting on the background? Often, the "face" will stay perfectly lit even if the person moves.

5. Blurred Borders and "Ghosting"

The space where the digital face meets the real hair or neck is the hardest part for AI to render.

• The Glitch: Look for a thin "blur" or shimmering effect around the hairline, chin, and neck. If the person wears glasses, look for distortion where the frames meet the temples.

FDF’s Verification Protocol for Remote Hiring

To protect your startup from AI impersonation, you must move beyond the standard video call.

1. Mandatory Identity Verification: Use a professional tool like Veriff, Persona, or Onfido. These services require the candidate to scan a government ID and perform a "liveness check" that AI struggles to bypass.
2. The "Random Action" Test: During the interview, ask the candidate to do something unpredictable. "Could you wave your hand slowly in front of your face?" or "Please hold up a piece of paper with today's date." Real-time deepfakes often break or "tear" when objects pass between the camera and the face.
3. Check the "Digital Footprint" Live: Ask them to open their GitHub or a specific project and walk you through a commit they made 6 months ago. Scammers usually have the "face" ready, but they don't have the deep knowledge of the stolen portfolio.

Don't Let the Mask Win

Deepfake scams thrive on the speed of startup hiring. By slowing down and using these verification steps, you ensure that the talent you are paying for is the talent you are actually getting.

FDF is building the first community-driven database to flag these identity-theft rings. Don't be a victim—be vigilant.

Have you noticed anything "off" in a recent video interview? Describe the glitch in the comments below to help other founders stay alert.