As recruiting is part of my job function, I spend a lot of time talking to job applicants via phone, video interviewing, and email correspondence.  When I began my career in HR more than 20 years ago, the notion of being "ghosted" by a candidate when it came time for a scheduled phone call or interview was unheard of.  People applied for a particular job because they (1) really needed it or (2) they were really interested in it and took the opportunity of an interview with great seriousness, preparation and professionalism.  With the prevalence some time later of mass internet job boards like Monster and ease in applying more broadly to any and all open positions, it became easier for candidates to detach from the process and approach it more passively, hoping for luck that 1 follow up inquiry might result from 100 sent resumes. 

Now, in this era of virtual interviewing and remote work opportunities, a new phenomenon has emerged--the "bait and switch interview." As described in this article from U.S. News and World Report, some candidates are hiring a proxy or fraud to interview in their place in phone screens and in planned video interviews (some claiming issues with their webcam or video capabilities), then the person who is hired is not the same one who interviewed successfully.  Not only is this completely unethical on so many levels, but can also be a terminable offense once hired and a security breach opportunity for a criminal. 

What can hiring managers do?  According to experts, use video interviewing as much as possible, and ask candidates to remove any backgrounds or filters. It is also advised that candidates should use their computer speakers and not a headset, as responses could potentially be fed to them via an earpiece.  Recruiters can also ask candidates to provide a photo ID as part of the application process to compare to the person on the screen.  Recruiters and/or managers should always be sure to check professional references, look at LinkedIn profiles, and watch for red flags in employment history or contacts. 

If you ask me, it's very sad that we have to be so skeptical of job applicants, but good hiring means getting the best person for the job, and in this case, the actual person!