MHA warns of AI-enabled biometric scams in fake job interviews targeting Indians
India's Ministry of Home Affairs warned on May 29, 2026 that cyber criminals are running AI-enabled biometric scams posing as job interviews to steal personal and biometric data from job seekers. The scams use fake hiring processes and AI-based image processing to extract and misuse identity markers for financial fraud and unauthorised access to identity-linked systems.
What happened
The National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit (NCTAU) of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a cyber safety warning on May 29, 2026, about AI-enabled biometric scams targeting job seekers across India.
Cyber criminals are exploiting digital recruitment processes by designing fake hiring procedures that resemble legitimate recruitment practices, beginning with convincing job offers and progressing to online interviews, verification calls or digital onboarding processes aimed at extracting confidential information.
In several reported cases, candidates were allegedly asked to undergo video-based verification procedures involving facial recognition, eye scanning or other biometric checks. Investigators suspect such biometric inputs are later used to manipulate or gain unauthorised access to identity-linked systems, including altering mobile numbers associated with official identification documents.
Reported impact
The scams aim to compromise identities and gain unauthorised access to sensitive systems, with potential for financial fraud or identity theft through misuse of biometric data.
Index analysis
Cyber experts attribute the growing threat to the misuse of artificial intelligence, noting that by leveraging AI-based image processing and data extraction techniques, fraudsters can replicate identity markers and misuse them for financial fraud or identity theft.
The rapid expansion of digital hiring platforms has widened the scope for such cybercrime, with the methods used by scammers becoming increasingly sophisticated and specifically designed to trap innocent job seekers.
Governance controls
The advisory urged job seekers to remain alert throughout the recruitment process and identify potential red flags before sharing any personal information.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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