How Scammers Use Deepfakes to Fake Their Identity (And How You Can Spot It)

More businesses are moving their onboarding process online. From banking apps to job applications, a quick video call or selfie is now a common way to confirm someone's identity. It saves time and makes things more convenient. But that convenience comes with a catch.

Scammers are taking advantage of weak ID checks. If your system only looks for a face and a matching ID photo, it might be easier than you think to trick it. Deepfake technology is helping fraudsters get through these checks without being who they say they are. This is not a problem of the future. It's already happening.

What Exactly Is a Deepfake?

A deepfake is a video, image, or audio clip that has been changed using artificial intelligence to make it look or sound like someone else. The tech behind it uses real footage or photos to create fake content that appears real. It can make someone say or do things they never did.

A recent report from Gitnux states that over 96% of deepfakes are used for harmful content, including scams, misinformation, and non-consensual material. There are apps and tools that let anyone create fake videos in just a few steps. Some scammers use these tools to make video clips that look like a real person blinking, smiling, or nodding. Others go further and add voice cloning to sound like that person too.

Not all deepfakes are used for scams. Some are just for fun or art. But when they’re used to fool businesses and pass ID checks, that’s when the damage begins.

How Deepfakes Bypass Basic ID Verification

Most online ID checks rely on three things: a photo ID, a live selfie, and sometimes a quick video call with a real person. On the surface, this seems solid. You compare the face on the ID to the person on camera and mark it verified. But here’s what fraudsters are doing instead.

Pre-recorded Deepfake Videos

They play a pre-recorded deepfake that looks like someone else. It moves and blinks just enough to trick a basic liveness check.

AI-Generated Video During Calls

Some use real-time tools that map another person's face over their own while talking on a call. It looks like someone else is speaking, even though it’s not.

Voice Cloning for Phone or Video

They match the deepfake video with a fake voice. Many voice cloning tools can copy someone’s tone after hearing just a few seconds of audio.

Basic checks can't always catch these tricks. Motion detection or facial recognition alone can fall short against well-made deepfakes.

Red Flags: 4 Tell Signs That a Video is Deepfake

You don’t need to be a tech expert to spot something off. Even the most polished deepfakes can show signs if you know what to look for.

1. Strange Eye Movement
The person may blink too slowly or too often. Sometimes, they don’t blink at all.

2. Face Doesn’t Match the Lighting
The face might look out of place with the rest of the room. Shadows may fall the wrong way or not show up at all.

3. Lips Don’t Match the Voice
If someone is speaking, but their lips seem slightly off or delayed, that’s a big warning.

4. Low Frame Rate
The video may lag or seem choppy. Many deepfakes don’t run as smoothly as real video calls. If something feels off during the verification call, it probably is. Trust your instincts and use extra checks.

Who’s Most at Risk from Deepfake Fraud?

Not every business is a target, but certain industries are seeing more fake applications and fake identities.

• Banks and Financial Apps - New account fraud is a top concern. Scammers open accounts with fake IDs and use deepfakes to pass onboarding checks. A 2023 report from Sumsub found that deepfake fraud attempts rose 10x in the banking sector within just one year, especially in regions with high digital onboarding rates.
• Crypto and Trading Platforms - These apps often allow remote signups. A fake ID and deepfake video can let someone set up an account and move large sums quickly.
• Online Lending and Buy Now Pay Later Services - Scammers use deepfakes to apply for loans or payment plans under someone else’s name.
• HR and Staffing Teams - Remote hiring has become more common. Deepfakes can sneak past video interviews and ID checks. If your team handles accounts, money, or personal data, you’re more likely to be a target.

Smarter ID Verification Tools That Fight Deepfakes

Stopping deepfakes starts with upgrading your identity verification process. You don’t need to ditch video calls or ID uploads. But you do need tools that go deeper than surface-level checks.

Passive Liveness Detection
Instead of asking users to blink or move their head, passive checks scan for real skin texture, lighting shifts, and 3D facial patterns. These are harder for deepfakes to fake.

Biometric Checks Beyond the Face
Some tools use voice prints or typing patterns to match identity. It gives you extra layers to catch mismatches.

Real-Time Risk Scoring
New tools assign a risk score during a session based on behavior, device fingerprint, and connection type. High-risk scores can trigger extra review.

Using Identity Verification APIs for Better ID Checks.
Some companies now use smarter tools to check if someone is really who they say they are. Instead of just matching a face to an ID, they use identity verification APIs to look at public records, known fraud lists, and other trusted sources behind the scenes.

For example, a People Search API helps confirm if a name, phone number, email, address, and SSN all belong to the same person. A Background Check API checks for criminal records and other red flags to help assess risk and credibility. These checks happen in real time and help stop fake signups before they cause problems.

If you're applying for a loan, gig job, rental, or even just signing up for a new service, these tools help keep the process safer for everyone—including you.

How to Protect Your Own Image

If you're worried about your image being used for fraud:

• Don’t post videos online with your ID or sensitive info visible
• Use privacy settings on social media to limit access to your content
• Don’t send ID photos or personal videos to unknown platforms
• Watch for alerts about someone trying to open accounts in your name

Deepfake scams are harder to run when there’s less content available to build a model.

Final Thoughts

Deepfakes aren’t going away. They’re getting better and easier to make. If your current ID checks still rely on surface-level steps like comparing a photo to a face, you're at risk.

The goal isn’t to add more steps for users. It’s to use better tools behind the scenes to catch fake identities before they reach your system.

Now’s the time to add smarter, real-time checks that catch deepfakes before they cause damage.