Crypto scams are no longer limited to hacking as scammers have pivoted into a fresh tactic to target crypto participants. Fraudsters aren’t just manipulating trust to steal money, but they are now also coming for crypto job seekers. Deribit flagged a surge in fake recruiters targeting developers and senior professionals.
Any industry usually witnesses a spike in such illicit activities as interest peaks, and the digital assets industry is going through a similar episode. Bitcoin, the biggest crypto, knocked off fresh all-time highs of above $109K earlier this year, leading other major altcoins to print heavy green indexes. Scammer also noticed the surge, and they have infiltrated the industry seeking victims.
Crypto job seekers beware
Anthony Sweeney, CISO at Deribit, in an X post highlighted that they noticed a recent surge in scammers posing as recruiters who claim to be working with them or other well-known firms. Sweeney added that the crypto industry often pioneers the latest fraud tactics and such scams are no exception.
⚠️ Scam Alert from Anthony Sweeney, CISO at Deribit
In recent weeks, we’ve noticed a surge in scammers posing as recruiters claiming to work for Deribit (and likely other well-known firms soon). The crypto industry often pioneers the latest fraud tactics, and this scam is no… pic.twitter.com/BHxGxhn2nS
— Deribit (@DeribitOfficial) March 19, 2025
These scammers aren’t just throwing out shady job offers; they’re playing the long game. Deribit pointed out how the scam works. Fraudsters are adopting clever social engineering tricks to hook job seekers. First, they will dangle an irresistible job offer with a sky-high salary, and in the next move, they will bank on you to keep your job hunt quiet from your current employer.
The next steps in the process are quite shady. Scammers will set up fake LinkedIn profiles pretending to be talent scouts from major crypto firms. Then they will post ads, while hunting for a victim, for lucrative roles. As of now, they are targeting senior staff or developers with access to sensitive systems.
After reaching out to suitable candidates, they ask candidates to complete an “online assessment,” which secretly installs malware on their devices. Another tactic involves, dangling a victim with “exclusive pre-hire perks” like discounted company shares. This is done only to disappear with the victim’s money.
Fake offices, fake offers
The report mentions that the fraudsters might also invite you to a location to meet the senior team and sign contracts. Deribit stated that in one such case, a victim was invited to an office in LA while the exchange does not currently have an office in the US.
Sweeney suggested that in order to protect yourself, the first step will be to check the profile of the person whom you are in contact with. If it’s a new account with no clear ties to the company they claim to represent, then it’s a red flag. It is crucial to verify with the HR of the company, even if the profile looks legit. This isn’t just a one-off scheme. Crypto firms often see these scams before they go mainstream. If it sounds too good to be true, it might probably be.
It can be expected that these scam cohorts will continue to grow as the crypto sector develops. The cumulative digital assets market cap breached the $3 trillion mark this year. Meanwhile, the recent slump has dragged the cap to stand at around $2.75 trillion. Bitcoin price has dropped by over 13% in the last 30 days, but investors are still bullish that it might hit another ATH by the end of 2025.
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