North Korea Pays Foreigners to Pass US Job Interviews

North Korea has found a way around stricter job screening at US companies by recruiting remote IT workers from third countries, including Iran and Lebanon. According to a joint government alert dated July 31, 2026, these North Korean operatives pay $500 per month in cryptocurrency to recruit part-time interview stand-ins.

The tactic is a direct response to tightening countermeasures from the US and its allies. The alert warned that North Korean IT workers are using increasingly sophisticated methods, including AI, to hide their identities and expand their global reach.

They forge identity documents and use third-party proxies to create accounts on employment platforms. Once employed, they avoid direct deposit and request payment through money transfer services or cryptocurrency, routing funds through third-party bank accounts before sending earnings to North Korean agencies.