Are you for real? Increase in AI deepfakes raises ‘red flags’ for U.S. employers

Deepfakes have shifted from novelty to real risk for employers. Read on to learn more about how to protect your company and avoid falling for a fake.

Who did we hire?

Some identity fraud research indicates that overall deepfake and synthetic identity fraud attempts targeting organizations have surged globally. According to a report by GetReal Security, 41% of IT, cybersecurity, risk, and fraud leaders say their company has hired and onboarded a fraudulent candidate.

Recent reports detail this growing trend of remote interviewees using synthetic video and voice to pass identity checks, while security researchers and training providers have documented cases of imposters attempting to infiltrate U.S. companies as “IT workers.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned of a rise in deepfake-enabled fraud in remote hiring, and high-profile incidents show how convincingly artificial intelligence (AI) can simulate live presence, senior executives, and credentialed professionals.

In addition to a public service announcement on December 19, 2025, warning about the rise in AI deepfake impersonation, the U.S. State Department and the FBI, together with multiple countries’ foreign affairs and other government offices, issued a joint alert on July 31, 2026, to countries, U.S. businesses, and other entities, notifying them that the North Korean government has deployed IT services workers to obtain false identities and remotely earn income to fund North Korea’s unlawful nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.