Proxy interviews: how to check who is really answering
Updated
A proxy interview is a video interview where a different person answers, or helps, than the one who applied. The reliable check is to confirm the same person through the whole call, by face and by voice, from their own computer as well as from the call itself.
Recruiters in India usually call this a proxy interview. In the US it is often called candidate impersonation. Both describe the same problem: the person you hire may not be the person you spoke to. This guide explains the common forms, why the usual signs mislead, and how a continuous check works.
The common forms of proxy interviews
- A different person on camera. Someone else joins the call in the applicant's name. If the interviewer has only seen a small profile photo, this can be hard to spot.
- The right face, a different voice. The applicant's face is on camera, but someone else is speaking. Sometimes software moves the lips to match the other person's voice. This is often called a lip sync proxy interview.
- A helper off camera. The applicant is really there, but a second person feeds answers from the side of the room, through an earpiece, or by message.
Signs interviewers notice, and why they are unreliable
Interviewers often pick up on small things. The audio runs slightly ahead of or behind the lips. The person looks away before each answer. Answers come after a long pause, then arrive fluent and complete. The camera is low quality, or switched off at key moments. The voice sounds different from the screening call.
These signs are worth noticing, but they do not prove anything. A slow home connection causes audio delay. Many people look away when they think. Nerves cause pauses. Cameras fail. Treating any one of these as proof is unfair to honest candidates, and a well prepared helper can avoid all of them. What you need is a check that does not depend on an interviewer's guess.
How to check: identity at the start, then all through the call
A good check has two parts.
- Identity at the start. Before the interview, capture the person's face and voice in front of their own camera and microphone. This gives a reference for this call.
- Continuous checks during the call. Keep comparing the face in the call, and the voice on their microphone, with that reference. A check only at the start can be passed by the right person, who then hands over to someone else. Checking throughout closes that gap.
The check also needs a second view. The call video can be changed on its way into the meeting. Comparing it with what the person's own camera sees shows whether the two match.
How Verified Call does it on Google Meet
The candidate runs the Verified app on their Mac (Apple silicon) or Windows PC, after a consent screen that explains what happens. The app never joins the call. It works with Google Meet in Chrome today. Zoom and Microsoft Teams are coming soon.
- Face. The face in the call is compared with the face on the person's own camera, again and again through the call.
- Same voice. At the start, the candidate reads a few words aloud. Every 5 seconds during the call, the voice on the candidate’s microphone is compared with the voice from that reading step.
- What the host sees. In Meet, the host sees how many checks matched and a short status, such as Verified or a note that something needs a look.
- Privacy. The voice pattern stays on the candidate's computer, for that call only.
On recordings of 70 people, 0 of 3,990 sessions with someone else's face got through, and 962 of 970 sessions with the real person were cleared, 99.2% (October 1, 2026). The voice comparison runs during the call, and its accuracy is still being tested. Its test numbers are research results on recorded calls, not product results. Both are explained on the research page.
What it does not do
- It does not read ID documents.
- It does not carry anything from one interview to the next. Every interview starts a fresh check.
- Its results are advice for the host, not a verdict. The host decides what a result means.
- A person can decline the check and still join the call. The host sees that they declined.
Frequently asked questions
How do I detect a proxy interview?
Confirm that the same person is present for the whole call, by face and by voice. Check identity at the start, then keep comparing during the call. Signs such as delays or odd lip movement help, but they are not reliable on their own.
What is a lip sync proxy interview?
The applicant's face is on camera while a different person speaks, and software moves the lips to match the other voice. The face looks right, so a voice check is needed to see that someone else is answering.
Can someone else answer for a candidate in a video interview?
Yes. A different person can sit on camera, speak while the right face is shown, or help off camera. A check that compares face and voice through the whole call is the way to confirm who is answering.
Does Verified Call check ID documents?
No. It does not read ID documents. It checks that the person in the call is the same person in front of their own camera, by face and by voice, for the length of that one call.
Does the candidate need to install anything?
Yes. The candidate runs the Verified app on a Mac with Apple silicon or a Windows PC, after a consent screen. The app never joins the call. It works with Google Meet in Chrome today. Zoom and Microsoft Teams are coming soon.
What happens if a candidate declines the check?
They can still join the meeting. The host sees that they declined, and decides what to do next.
See it on a real call
We can show you the check on a Google Meet call and answer your questions as we go.
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More help is on the support page, and how we handle data is in the privacy policy.