Protecting Your Business: Best Practices for Remote Hiring

As more companies embrace remote hiring and conduct virtual interviews, the risk of candidate fraud continues to escalate. From fake résumés to impersonation schemes where bad actors pose as qualified applicants, dishonest candidates can slip through traditional hiring processes that weren’t built for a digital-first world. 

In today’s remote-first world, companies need strong identity verification to protect their reputation, stay compliant, and—most importantly—make the right talent decisions. That’s why MBO Partners created an anti-impersonation service to help employers confirm candidate identities and mitigate compliance risks. 

Drawing on our real-world client experience, we’ve identified six best practices that can help you proactively prevent fraud: 

Preventing Fraud in Remote Hiring: 6 Best Practices

Understand the Growing Threat

Candidate fraud is getting more common and more creative as hiring goes virtual. The first step in fighting it is Understanding what it truly looks like. 

Remote hiring creates opportunities that didn’t exist before. Without meeting someone in person, it’s surprisingly easy for fraudsters to game the system through: 

• Made-up credentials: Think fake degrees, certifications that don’t exist, or completely fictional work history 
• Identity swapping: This is where someone hires a stand-in to do their interviews and background checks—basically outsourcing their fraud 
• The vanishing act: Candidates who accept your offer, then disappear without a trace, leaving you back at square one 

Establish Strong Virtual Interview Protocols

Video interviews are now the norm, but they come with their own set of challenges. Without being in the same room, how do you know you’re really talking to the person who applied? 

Start by having your recruiter or hiring manager jump on at the beginning to confirm the person on screen matches their application. Ask candidates to take off their headphones, adjust their lighting, and make sure you can see their face clearly. 

Also consider mixing up your questions. Impersonators might nail the basic “tell me about yourself” questions, but they’ll struggle when you throw them a curveball or ask something specific to the role. And if it’s legal in your area, consider recording interviews—it gives you something to review later and can be great training material for your team. 

Integrate Real-Time ID Verification

Live ID verifications help you confirm you’re talking to the right person—not someone pretending to be them. It’s an extra step that makes a big difference. 

• Show me your ID: Ask candidates to hold their government-issued ID next to their face at the start of the interview 
• Use smart verification tools: AI-powered facial recognition and document validation can instantly check if the person matches their ID 
• Cross-check everything: Verify their email, phone number, and run database checks to make sure their details add up 

Check Out: Beeline recently hosted a webinar with SIA focused on the rising threat of candidate fraud in today’s talent landscape. The session explored how technology, process gaps, and remote hiring are fueling fraudulent activity—and what organizations can do to detect and prevent it.

Bring Back Some In-Person Elements When Possible 

Remote work offers flexibility, but face-to-face interaction still matters—especially for roles where identity verification is critical. In-person steps can help confirm you’re engaging with the right person. 

One option is to invite final candidates to your office to meet the team, take a short tour, or complete a skills test. In-person meetings make it much harder for someone to fake their identity. 

You can also explore local solutions. In regions with strict hiring rules, consider partnering with coworking spaces or regional offices to host secure, in-person interviews. For high-risk or senior roles, add on-site background checks like fingerprinting or professional license verification for extra assurance. 

Train Your Hiring Teams to Spot Red Flags 

The best technology in the world won’t help if your hiring team doesn’t know what to look for. A well-trained team can catch fraud early and ensure you find the right candidate. 

Teach your team to watch for inconsistencies between what’s on the résumé and what comes up in the interview. Look for answers that sound too rehearsed or candidates who seem nervous about turning on their camera or sharing their screen.  

Remember: Practice makes perfect. Run mock interviews to help your team get comfortable spotting these warning signs in real time. 

Blend Automation with Human Judgment 

AI and automation are powerful tools for identifying fraud, but they shouldn’t fully replace human judgment. The most effective systems use both. 

You can use AI to flag red flags like mismatched documents or duplicate profiles. These tools can quickly scan and identify patterns that might otherwise be missed. 

Once something is flagged, your trained team should review it. Human judgment is still essential for making fair, accurate, and compliant decisions. 

A Real-World Example of Workforce Compliance Success

A major Big 4 consulting firm faced growing concerns about contractor impersonation in their remote contractor hiring. They were worried about project delays, compliance issues, and potential damage to their reputation. 

So, they partnered with MBO Partners to implement our anti-impersonation service, which includes real-time ID checks, AI-powered facial recognition, and advanced fraud detection. In just six months, they verified over 3,700 contractors, caught 13 high-risk cases, and achieved 100% risk mitigation.  

More Compliance Tools and Resources From MBO Partners 

Candidate fraud is a real threat in today’s remote-first world, but it doesn’t have to derail your hiring. With the right mix of smart technology and human expertise, you can confidently find great talent while staying compliant and protecting your company’s reputation. 

For more on contingent workforce management and how to work with independent contractors, visit MBO’s blog for the latest news and insights.