72% of Companies Are Fighting AI Fraud With In-Person Interviews: What Job Seekers Need to Know

You’ve perfected your remote interview setup. Your lighting is professional, your background is clean, and you’ve mastered the art of looking engaged on camera. There’s just one problem: companies don’t want to interview you virtually anymore.

The shift happened fast. Major companies including Google, McKinsey, and Cisco quietly began requiring at least one in-person interview round starting in early 2024. By 2025, the trend exploded across industries. The reason? An AI cheating epidemic that’s made virtual interviews virtually unreliable.

Here’s what’s really happening behind the scenes and what it means for your next job search.

The AI Fraud Crisis Forcing Companies Back to the Office

The statistics are staggering. 72% of recruiting leaders report they’re currently conducting interviews in person specifically to combat fraud, according to recent Gartner research. This isn’t a slow trend. This is a hiring emergency.

81% of Big Tech interviewers have suspected candidates of using AI tools to cheat during remote interviews. Not “wondered about” or “had concerns.” Suspected. Meaning the behavior was obvious enough to notice but hard enough to prove that companies had to change their entire hiring infrastructure.

The fraud takes multiple forms. Some candidates use AI chatbots to feed them answers off-camera during technical interviews. Others employ sophisticated deepfake technology to mask their true appearance. The most alarming cases involve organized fraud rings where impostors use stolen identities to land remote jobs, then funnel salary payments to sanctioned nations.

Interview Guys Tip: If you’re an honest candidate, this AI fraud epidemic actually works in your favor. Companies are desperate to identify genuine talent, and showing up in person instantly separates you from the AI-assisted crowd. Use this to your advantage.

To help you prepare, we’ve created a resource with proven answers to the top questions interviewers are asking right now. Check out our interview answers cheat sheet:

The Deepfake Candidate Problem

17% of hiring managers have encountered candidates using deepfake technology to alter their video interviews. Think about that. Nearly one in five recruiters has sat through an interview with someone wearing a digital mask.

The technology is shockingly accessible. Voice authentication startup Pindrop Security recently caught a deepfake candidate named “Ivan” who seemed perfect for a senior engineering role. The only tell? His facial expressions were slightly out of sync with his words. Out of 827 applications for a single developer position at Pindrop, roughly 100 were attached to fake identities.

By 2028, Gartner predicts that 1 in 4 candidate profiles worldwide will be fake. That’s not a typo. In three years, a quarter of all job applicants could be AI-generated frauds or identity thieves using deepfake overlays. The implications are massive.

Resume Genius found that 15% of recruiters have witnessed face-swapping or voice-cloning during video interviews. And here’s the kicker: these are just the cases where recruiters noticed something was wrong. How many fake candidates sailed through undetected?

Why Google and McKinsey Brought Back Face-to-Face Interviews

The companies making headlines for this shift aren’t random small businesses. They’re industry leaders with massive recruiting budgets and sophisticated HR departments.

Google now requires at least one round of in-person interviews for certain roles. CEO Sundar Pichai stated publicly that the company wants to ensure candidates have mastered “the fundamentals” through face-to-face evaluation.

McKinsey started asking hiring managers to schedule at least one in-person meeting with potential recruits about 18 months ago. The consulting giant made this change quietly, but the impact rippled across the professional services industry.

Cisco added in-person interviews to hiring decisions over the past year after running into candidates faking credentials or locations. Kelly Jones, Cisco’s Chief People Officer, described cases where candidates reached final stages only to “go quiet” when asked to meet in person. The red flags were there, but virtual formats made them easy to miss.

At Coda Search/Staffing in Dallas, in-person interview requests among employer clients jumped from 5% in 2024 to 30% in 2025. That’s a 500% increase in a single year. Other recruitment firms report similar patterns across technology, finance, and marketing sectors.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: AI Cheating Is Everywhere

72% of recruiters report encountering fake resumes, portfolios, or credentials created with AI. This goes beyond embellishment. We’re talking about completely fabricated work histories, generated portfolios, and AI-written code samples that candidates claim as their own.

45% of developers admitted to using AI tools during coding assessments. When nearly half of tech candidates openly acknowledge using AI assistance, imagine how many are using it without admitting it.

The fraud extends beyond resumes and interviews. 6% of job candidates admitted to participating in interview fraud in Gartner surveys, either by posing as someone else or having someone else pretend to be them. Since people rarely admit to fraud in surveys, the real number is almost certainly higher.

Only 31% of companies have implemented AI or deepfake detection software, despite the massive scale of the problem. Most organizations still rely on manual HR reviews and background checks, which are trivial to defeat with modern AI tools.

What Honest Candidates Are Up Against

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you’re applying honestly, you’re competing against candidates who aren’t. The AI arms race has created an uneven playing field where the rules keep changing.

Only 26% of job candidates trust AI will fairly evaluate them, according to Gartner research. At the same time, 39% of candidates use AI during the application process to generate text for resumes, cover letters, and assessment answers.

It’s a vicious cycle. Candidates don’t trust AI-powered hiring systems, so they use AI to game those systems, which makes companies trust candidates less, which leads to more aggressive fraud detection measures that hurt honest applicants.

The return to in-person interviews is an attempt to break this cycle. When you’re sitting across from someone in a conference room, it’s dramatically harder to fake your way through technical questions or behavioral scenarios.

The Good News: Most Candidates Prefer In-Person Anyway

Before you panic about having to commute for interviews, here’s a surprise: 70% of US adults surveyed would prefer to give an in-person interview over a phone or video call.

That’s right. Despite five years of remote work normalization, the vast majority of candidates still prefer face-to-face interactions for job interviews. There’s something about in-person meetings that feels more authentic, more human, and frankly, less weird than staring at your own face in a Zoom window.

62% of candidates said they’re more likely to apply to a position if the organization requires in-person interviews, according to Gartner data. The requirement actually attracts candidates rather than repelling them.

Why? Because serious candidates know that in-person interviews work both ways. You’re not just being evaluated. You’re evaluating whether this company, these people, and this office environment are places you want to spend 40+ hours per week.

How to Prepare for the Return to In-Person Interviews

If your last in-person interview was in 2019, you’re not alone. An entire generation of workers has entered the job market knowing only virtual interviews. Here’s how to adapt.

• Research the physical location ahead of time. Know exactly where you’re going, where to park, and how long it takes to get there. Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early. Being late to an in-person interview is exponentially worse than technical difficulties on Zoom.

• Prepare your physical presence. Body language matters more in person than on camera. Make eye contact, sit up straight, and remember that your entire presentation is visible, not just your head and shoulders. Practice your handshake if it’s been a while.

• Bring physical materials. Having a portfolio, extra copies of your resume, and a notepad shows preparation that digital-only candidates can’t match. It’s a tangible demonstration that you’re the real deal.

• Master the small talk. Virtual interviews skip past the casual conversation that happens while walking to a conference room or waiting for coffee. Brush up on your ability to engage in brief, professional small talk. It’s not frivolous. It’s how humans assess cultural fit.

• Prepare for spontaneous technical tests. Companies combating AI fraud often throw unexpected challenges into in-person interviews. If you’re interviewing for a technical role, be ready to whiteboard a solution, explain your thought process out loud, or complete a coding challenge without your usual tools.

The Industries Most Affected by AI Fraud

Not all sectors face equal risk. Recruiters identify technology, marketing, and finance as the industries most vulnerable to AI-driven job fraud.

Technology roles face unique challenges because the work is inherently digital. Software engineering and programming jobs have become one of the biggest concerns for AI-assisted cheating. Many of these positions are remote, which originally made virtual interviews seem logical. Now they’re the most difficult to evaluate honestly.

The stakes are particularly high in cybersecurity and data-sensitive roles. When fraudulent candidates slip through and gain access to systems, the consequences go far beyond a bad hire. We’re talking data breaches, ransomware, and potentially national security risks.

Finance and marketing face similar challenges, though for different reasons. Finance roles often require specific certifications and technical knowledge that’s easy to fake with AI assistance. Marketing positions increasingly demand AI tool proficiency, making it difficult to distinguish between a candidate who knows the tools and one who’s just using them to cheat.

What Companies Are Doing Beyond In-Person Interviews

The return to face-to-face interviews is just one layer in a comprehensive fraud prevention strategy. Companies are implementing multiple safeguards.

• Identity verification tools now require candidates to verify a mobile number, trusted email address, or use photo ID validation linked to interview slots. Some platforms use biometric screening with fingerprint or facial recognition to confirm identities.

• Proctored assessments with webcam monitoring and keystroke analysis help detect cheating on technical tests. These systems can flag when candidates look off-screen repeatedly, receive external assistance, or submit code that’s too perfect to write in real-time.

• Enhanced background checks now include geolocation data verification, ensuring candidates are actually located where they claim. This catches fraud rings operating from sanctioned nations using stolen American identities.

• Live skill assessments force candidates to demonstrate abilities in real-time. Instead of take-home projects that could be outsourced, companies now watch candidates work through problems on the spot. It’s harder to fake competence when someone’s watching your every keystroke.

The Equity Concerns Nobody’s Talking About

Here’s the uncomfortable question: does the shift back to in-person interviews disadvantage certain candidates?

The answer is complicated. Requiring in-person interviews can create barriers for candidates with disabilities, those living far from major job centers, or people who can’t afford travel costs. These are legitimate concerns that companies need to address.

However, the counterargument is equally valid: AI fraud disproportionately hurts honest candidates who lack the resources or willingness to cheat. When fraudulent candidates secure positions they’re unqualified for, they displace genuine talent. When companies lose trust in virtual hiring, they slow down hiring altogether, which hurts everyone.

The solution isn’t to abandon in-person interviews. It’s to implement them thoughtfully. Companies offering travel reimbursement, hosting interviews at multiple regional locations, or conducting virtual early rounds before a single in-person final round can maintain fraud protection while preserving accessibility.

How to Turn the In-Person Requirement Into Your Advantage

Smart candidates will recognize this shift as an opportunity, not an obstacle. Here’s how to stand out in the new hiring landscape.

• Emphasize your authenticity. Make it clear from your first contact that you’re eager for in-person interaction. Volunteer to meet face-to-face even if it’s not required. This immediately signals that you have nothing to hide.

• Demonstrate real-world problem-solving skills. Since companies are specifically trying to identify candidates who can think on their feet without AI assistance, practice talking through your thought process out loud. Explain your approach to problems even when you’re not sure of the answer. The process matters as much as the solution.

• Build genuine connections. The return to in-person interviews means relationship-building matters again. Use the opportunity to connect with interviewers as people, not just avatars in boxes. Ask about their experience at the company. Share authentic stories from your background. Make yourself memorable for the right reasons.

• Showcase your technical skills live. If you’re in a technical field, offer to demonstrate your abilities in real-time. “I’d be happy to walk you through how I’d approach this problem on a whiteboard” is music to a recruiter’s ears in 2025.

The Future of Hiring in an AI World

88% of survey respondents predict that AI hiring fraud will reshape the hiring process within the next five years. We’re witnessing that transformation right now.

The pendulum is swinging back toward human verification, but it won’t swing all the way. The future of hiring will likely be hybrid: virtual early rounds to maintain efficiency, followed by mandatory in-person finals to verify authenticity.

40% of companies plan to invest in AI detection tools within the next year, suggesting that technology will eventually catch up with the fraud. But until detection software reliably identifies deepfakes and AI-assisted cheating, humans need to be in the room.

For job seekers, this means adapting to a new reality where proving you’re a real person with real skills matters as much as having those skills in the first place. It’s absurd. It’s frustrating. And it’s the world we’re living in.

What This Means for Your Next Job Search

The implications are clear. If you’re job hunting in 2025, prepare for at least one in-person interview, regardless of whether the role is remote. Companies operating in high-fraud risk sectors like technology and finance will almost certainly require face-to-face verification.

Start thinking about your in-person interview strategy now. Update your professional wardrobe if needed. Practice your physical presence. Get comfortable with the idea that job hunting requires leaving your house again.

Most importantly, recognize that this shift gives honest candidates a competitive advantage. When you show up prepared, authentic, and capable of performing without AI assistance, you’ll stand out in a sea of digital phonies.

The AI fraud crisis is real, but it’s also an opportunity. Companies are desperate to find genuine talent they can trust. Be that candidate, and the return to in-person interviews will work in your favor.

Related Resources

Want to master the in-person interview process? Check out these essential guides:

How to Prepare for a Job Interview – Our comprehensive guide covers everything from research strategies to post-interview follow-up, helping you nail every stage of the process.

Top 25 Common Job Interview Questions – Learn how to answer the questions hiring managers ask most frequently, with detailed example answers and expert insights.

What to Wear to a Job Interview – Professional appearance matters more in person than on camera. Discover what to wear for different industries and interview levels.

Virtual Interview Tips – Even with the shift to in-person finals, many companies still conduct early screening rounds virtually. Master both formats to stay competitive.

Tell Me About Yourself – This classic opening question hits different in person. Learn how to craft a compelling narrative that works face-to-face.

The SOAR Method – Master this powerful framework for answering behavioral interview questions with authentic, memorable stories.

The job market is changing fast. The return of in-person interviews is just one symptom of a larger transformation where companies desperately need to separate real talent from AI-generated fraud. By understanding this shift and preparing accordingly, you’ll position yourself as exactly what companies are looking for: a genuine candidate with real skills who can perform without digital assistance.

The future of hiring might be uncertain, but one thing is clear. Showing up in person, being authentic, and demonstrating real competence will never go out of style. In a world of deepfakes and AI chatbots, being genuinely human is your greatest competitive advantage.

To help you prepare, we’ve created a resource with proven answers to the top questions interviewers are asking right now. Check out our interview answers cheat sheet:

---