CSI: Hiring Funnel: AI Fraud, Fake Candidates, and Trust Signals

AI didn’t just change hiring. It changed lying.

In this episode of Talentless, Des and Ashley sit down with Maryam Mahdaviani, Founder & CEO of Attesto, to unpack what “candidate fraud” actually looks like in 2026.

We’re not talking about a little resume inflation. We’re talking:

• Fabricated LinkedIn + resume + GitHub ecosystems

• Impersonation and proxy interviews

• Fake candidates who pass early screens

• Social engineering inside interviews

• And the real incentives behind it all

Maryam explains how Attesto operates at the top of the funnel to generate trust signals, why relying on one “fraud tell” can cost you great candidates, and what “human in the loop” really means in an AI-driven hiring process.

This conversation isn’t just about speed or efficiency.It’s about trust, security, morale, and accountability.

If you think this is a small problem… you might want to listen.

Guest: Maryam Mahdaviani, Founder & CEO, AttestoLearn more: attesto.com