Deepfakes and identity fraud drive new wave of post-hire background checks

Almost a third of HR chiefs say they continuously monitor employees as businesses respond to fake work histories, identity fraud and deepfakes amid growing use of AI in recruitment

Workers are increasingly being monitored and rescreened after they get a job as employers try to guard against identity fraud, falsified employment details and other workforce risks.

Background checks, including identity verification and checks on employment details, have traditionally taken place before somebody is hired.

But new international research suggests that approach is changing, with 30 per cent of chief HR officers saying they continuously monitor employees and 52 per cent carrying out periodic rescreening.

It comes as businesses report widespread problems verifying the information supplied by job applicants.

Three-quarters of hiring managers (76 per cent) said they had encountered falsified employment details during recruitment, while 45 per cent had experienced candidates misrepresenting their identity.

Candidate verification problems were reported by between 71 and 88 per cent of employers worldwide.

AI is becoming increasingly embedded in recruitment at the same time, with 90 per cent of CHROs saying they had implemented some form of AI in their hiring processes.

The report also points to growing concerns about document forgery, deepfakes and identity-related fraud.

Almost nine-in-10 employers (89 per cent) plan to introduce additional background screening and identity-verification measures within the next two years, the study by First Advantage found.

Its 2026 Global Workforce Trends Report, published yesterday, was conducted with ClearlyRated and included responses from 2,148 HR professionals and hiring leaders and 3,244 job candidates across five global regions and nine industries.

Rolf Bezemer, of First Advantage, said: “The research highlights a significant shift in how employers think about trust.

“Candidate misrepresentation, increasingly complex workforce models and widespread AI adoption are creating challenges that many hiring processes were simply not designed to address.

“What’s particularly interesting is that trust concerns now exist on both sides of the hiring relationship. Employers are concerned about hiring the wrong person, while candidates are increasingly worried about job scams, identity theft and sharing personal information online.”

READ MORE: More than half of UK professionals report workplace burnout. Britain recorded the fourth-highest rate among nine countries surveyed, with heavier workloads, low morale and stalled careers blamed for growing pressure at work.

Do you have news to share or expertise to contribute? The European welcomes insights from business leaders and sector specialists. Get in touch with our editorial team to find out more.

_{Main image: Job interviews remain the traditional point for checking a candidate’s identity, employment history and credentials – though new research suggests vetting is increasingly continuing after staff are hired. Credit: Edmond Dantès/Pexels}