The FBI is warning employers about increasing security risks from fraudulent job applications, resulting in hackers infiltrating companies and gaining access to sensitive data. To protect against these risks, employers should be vigilant in their applicant screening procedures, including: (1) conducting employment verifications with previous employers before onboarding a new employee; (2) requiring in-person interviews where possible; (3) using a reputable background check vendor to conduct pre-employment background screens in compliance with applicable laws; (4) requiring that candidates appear on camera during video interviews; (5) asking detailed technical questions for technical candidates; (6) identifying and carefully vetting any inconsistencies in application materials; (7) cross-referencing application materials with publicly available information online (such as social media posts or other sources); and (8) looking for suspicious patterns in resumes, such as overly vague descriptions of prior positions or inconsistent fonts and formatting. Employers should also review their data security monitoring processes to ensure that any suspicious activity is promptly flagged and remediated.
