Hiring the right talent is critical but in today’s competitive job market, it’s equally important to know how to detect fake resumes before making a hiring decision. With resume fraud on the rise, HR professionals and recruiters in India must be equipped with the right tools and strategies to identify discrepancies early in the process.  A recent survey by NASSCOM revealed that over 30% of resumes contain discrepancies, ranging from exaggerated job titles to completely fabricated experiences.

If you’re wondering how to detect fake resumes in today’s competitive hiring landscape, this guide will walk you through proven steps and tools to verify candidate authenticity and avoid costly hiring mistakes.

Whether you’re hiring for a startup or a Fortune 500 company, resume fraud can cost you time, money, and reputation. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to detect fake resumes before they become bad hires.

Why Fake Resumes Are on the Rise in 2025

Several factors have led to a sharp rise in resume fraud:

• • Remote hiring: With virtual interviews, it’s easier for candidates to mask gaps and fabricate experience.

• • AI tools: Candidates are using AI to craft perfect—but false—resumes that sound credible.

• • Moonlighting culture: People juggling multiple jobs often lie about employment dates or roles to hide conflicts.

• • Pressure to stand out: The hyper-competitive job market drives applicants to embellish achievements and credentials.

These trends have made it more difficult for HR professionals to identify dishonest candidates during the initial stages of recruitment.

Common Resume Frauds HR Should Watch For

1. 1. Employment gaps masked with fake experience
   2. Inflated job titles and exaggerated roles
   3. Fake companies or unverifiable employers
   4. Backdated or altered offer letters and payslips
   5. Fictitious degrees or unverifiable colleges
   6. Misrepresented freelance work or internships
   7. Fake certifications or online course completions
   8. Borrowed project experience from peers

These red flags can lead to serious risks if overlooked, especially in compliance-heavy industries like BFSI, healthcare, and IT services.

Step-by-Step Guide to Detect Fake Resumes

Step 1: Cross-Check Company Existence

• • Search the company online: Does it have a legitimate website, LinkedIn presence, or contact information?

• • Use platforms like Zauba, Tofler, or MCA to confirm the company’s registration.

• • Look for red flags like Gmail IDs for HR contacts, poor web presence, or suspiciously short stints.

Pro Tip: Candidates using fake companies often show vague designations like “Consultant” or “Associate” without clear KPIs.

Step 2: Conduct Employment Verification

Ask your background verification partner or internal team to:

• • Confirm dates of joining and exit

• • Verify designation and reporting structure

• • Request for official email confirmation or experience letters

• • Cross-check EPFO records for actual contribution history

Also, request:

• • Payslips,

• • Form 16s, or

• • Bank statements as additional evidence

Step 3: Verify Educational Qualifications

• • Contact the university registrar or use the National Academic Depository (NAD) to validate marksheets and degrees

• • For international qualifications, validate using WES or NARIC-recognized services

• • Check the format, font, and logos of certificates for inconsistencies

Beware of distance learning institutions that are not UGC-approved or those that do not exist online.

Step 4: Screen Social Media Profiles

• • Review the candidate’s LinkedIn profile: Is it consistent with the resume?

• • Look for endorsements, project highlights, and work timelines

• • Compare their GitHub, Behance, or portfolio links for pro

Inconsistencies between social media and resumes are often early indicators of false information. Step 5: Conduct Pre-Screening Assessments

Many fake candidates collapse under real-time testing. Use pre-screening tools to assess:

• • Technical skills (HackerRank, HackerEarth, Codility)

• • Domain knowledge (case studies, problem-solving tasks)

• • Soft skills (situational judgment, communication)

Set up real-time video interviews to assess communication style, pause times, and confidence in answers.

Step 6: Ask Behavioral and Situational Questions

• • Ask for specific achievements: “Tell me about a project where you handled client escalations.”

• • Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format to validate authenticity

• • Ask follow-up questions to verify depth of knowledge

Step 7: Conduct Deep Reference Checks

Avoid surface-level references. Speak to at least 2 former managers or direct peers: Ask:

• • “Would you rehire this person?”

• • “What were their main responsibilities?”

• • “Can you describe a time they exceeded or failed expectations?”

Fake references often give generic praise and avoid specifics.

Step 8: Check Government and Regulatory Records

• • Use Aadhaar-based KYC or PAN verification

• • For roles in finance or law, check for criminal records or regulatory sanctions

• • For delivery/logistics jobs, validate DL or vehicle registration

Red Flags That Should Prompt Investigation

🚩 Red Flag	🎯 Why It Matters
Job changes every 6 months	May indicate instability or cover-ups
No manager references available	Could signal fabricated work experience
Gaps aligned with freelance work	Sometimes used to cover up unemployment
Overlapping employment dates	Often a result of moonlighting or manipulation
Backdated offer/payslip documents	Easy to forge using templates online

Tools Recruiters Can Use to Detect Resume Fraud

• • Pietos – End-to-end BGV with document checks

• • Naukri Verify – Education & employment verification for Indian candidates

• • LinkedIn Talent Insights – Social graph analysis

• • Google Reverse Image Search – To catch fake ID or certificate images

Combine automated tools with human-led screening to improve accuracy.

Impact of Fake Hiring on Your Organization

• • Loss of productivity and team morale

• • Compromised project quality

• • Legal liability if placed in sensitive roles (e.g., finance, law, healthcare)

• • Damage to employer brand

• • Wasted resources on onboarding and training

The cost of a bad hire is estimated to be 4x the salary of the individual. Early detection can save time, money, and reputation.

Future of Resume Verification: What HR Should Expect

• • Blockchain-based credentials from verified institutions

• • Real-time background verification APIs integrated into HRMS

• • Face recognition and biometrics in BGV

• • Crowd-sourced fraud databases for repeat offenders

By 2026, 60% of companies are expected to automate at least part of their BGV process, especially for high-volume or frontline roles.

Conclusion: Trust, But Verify

In a talent-short market, it’s tempting to rush hiring—but skipping background verification can cost you far more. A single fake hire can compromise team performance, client trust, and even your compliance record. With structured resume screening, skilled BGV support, and keen attention to red flags, you can detect fake resumes early and hire with confidence.

Ready to Build a Fraud-Proof Hiring Engine?

At Pietos, we help organizations detect resume fraud with precision—through AI-powered checks, verified databases, and seamless BGV workflows. Book a Demo or Get in Touch with us to strengthen your hiring process for 2025 and beyond. Call us on 9821011624 to know more!