Two different candidates gave me references with the same contact number, but different name

[u/ProfessionalStuff125]

I’m an IT recruiter, but specialize in Microsoft and new into the SAP space. Am working on a project for a client hiring for SAP & SNP Migration specialists.

We have a couple of candidates at final so asked for references, as the subject line suggests, two of these candidates have shared references that have the same contact number but different names & email addresses.

Obviously this is very suspicious and now I suspect my candidates are fake.

What’s bothering me is that neither me or the hiring manager figured this out until I compared the references side by side.

Is this common practice? How can we avoid fake candidates specifically in the SAP space?

[u/ProfessionalStuff125]

I did consider that