A proxy interview is an interview completed by someone other than the candidate being considered for the role. It is a different problem from a candidate receiving help with an answer. Remote hiring needs an identity process as well as an assessment of skills: a strong score alone does not establish who earned it.
What the evidence supports
In a 2022 public notice, the FBI reported complaints involving deepfakes and stolen personal information in applications for remote roles. This establishes a documented risk. It does not tell us what percentage of today’s interviews involve impersonation.
A video anomaly can also result from compression, a poor connection or a camera issue. Treat it as a reason to clarify, not a verdict. Avoid improvised demands for extra personal documents that were never part of the agreed process.
Design identity continuity across the hiring process
Before the interview, tell candidates what identity check is needed, why it is used and where to ask for help. Use a consistent process for comparable applicants. Confirm the available route for people who cannot complete the standard check.
At the start, connect the identity check to the actual interview session. During the interview, use the agreed monitoring and review relevant discrepancies. At a later stage, confirm continuity with the person joining the team through the employer’s onboarding process. No single checkpoint should be presented as a guarantee of identity for all future interactions.
A practical escalation record
Session and stage: which interaction needs clarification?
Observation: what was actually seen or recorded, without a claim about intent?
Alternative explanation: could connection quality, equipment or the process explain it?
Review: who examined the material and what additional clarification was needed?
Outcome: concern resolved, comparable reassessment needed or further employer review required.
Keep the amount of collected information proportionate to the purpose. Agree access and retention with the responsible team before the pilot. These are implementation questions, not a claim that one retention setting or identity method is appropriate in every market.
What TrustHR contributes
TrustHR brings AI interviews, generated questions and AI scoring together with TrustExam capabilities, including identity checks and session monitoring. These checks support the review of candidate continuity and the interview environment. They do not replace the employer’s wider identity or onboarding process.
We do not claim that a webcam alone detects every deepfake or that TrustHR has a verified detector for every impersonation tool. A pilot should define the relevant methods and environment, then measure both missed test scenarios and legitimate candidates incorrectly sent for review.
Questions to ask before choosing a solution
Ask what is checked, when it is checked and which configurations are supported. Request a demonstration using the workflow you intend to deploy. Clarify what evidence a reviewer receives, how ordinary technical failures are handled and who makes the final decision. Also ask how a candidate can resolve a disputed check.
For the separate issue of hidden help with answers, read our employer guide to AI cheating. To discuss the identity and interview checks needed in your workflow, request a TrustHR demo.