A cybersecurity firm’s CEO advertised an open security-researcher role and was contacted by someone claiming to know an ideal candidate. The referred applicant performed professionally on camera and answered technical interview questions competently across multiple rounds, but was using real-time deepfake video to impersonate a fabricated identity, consistent with tactics used in known IT-worker infiltration schemes. The CEO publicly disclosed the near-miss, noting that even a firm specializing in AI security nearly hired the fraudulent candidate before the deception was caught.