ALERT: New Recruiter Scam Carried Out by Crypto Hackers

The cryptocurrency world is, unfortunately, rife with scams. It seems like every other day, we are discovering another one, which has resulted in hundreds of individuals losing money and their cryptocurrency.

Today, we’ve received news of a scam in which cryptocurrency hackers pose as recruiters. Keep reading to learn more about how the scam is carried out and how you can avoid becoming a victim.

How the Scam is Carried Out

This is one of the most sophisticated scams we have come across in a long time. The crypto hackers start by posing as recruiters on social media platforms like Telegram and LinkedIn. They then approach individuals with high-value roles, typically paying anything from $200k-$300k per year.

These approaches have been with a variety of roles, such as marketing or advertising, and we believe that the scammers target the roles to the profile they are attempting to scam. This means that they will approach you with a job that seems to suit your education and experience—no matter what it may be.

The “recruiter” will additionally be very friendly and chatty. They will appear to have real knowledge about the position and about industry trends. All of this is part of social engineering—the recruiter is simply building trust for the purpose of getting you to feel comfortable before inviting you to an interview.

Here is where the scam gets really tricky—they will invite you for a written and video response recorded interview. There will be a long list of questions, some of which you will provide a written response to, and others will prompt you to record a video using the Willo Video Interviewing platform.

When you open the Willo app, you will encounter a perceived technological issue, which will likely prompt you to reach out to the recruiter. This is when this scam takes a turn for the worst.

The “fix” to your technological issue will include a process that downloads malware stored in the Willo app to your computer. This allows the scammers access to all the devices on your network, and they will be able to drain your crypto wallets and possibly even traditional bank accounts.

The scariest aspect of this entire scam is that no one is safe—those with a Mac, windows, or even a Linux computer will be affected.

Can You Save Yourself From This Scam?

If you have already followed their instructions and lost cryptocurrency due to their hacking, there isn’t much you can do beyond reporting it to your local law enforcement agency. In the United States, the government has a special website for reporting internet fraud.

For those who just recently followed their instructions but haven’t noticed any transactions yet—Immediately wipe your device. Do not log into any of your accounts. Wiping your device completely should remove the malware. Be sure to wipe any connected devices, especially if you are an Apple user and use iCloud.

If you are unsure how to do this, make an appointment with a specialist in your city. Workers at the Apple store or members of the Geek Squad can walk you through wiping your device. Be cautious however, as there is also a Geek Squad scam out there as well. If you make an appointment with Geek Squad, ask them for step-by-step directions on how to wipe your computer. Do not allow them access to your computer—it is not needed for the wiping process.

How to Spot This Scam

If you are here because you suspect you have been targeted by this scam but have not yet performed the video interview, here are the signs to watch out for that may indicate you are speaking to scammers.

1. They Reach Out to You With the Job

It is very rare that a company would contact you for a position. Most companies have so many applicants, they would never take the time to reach out to you. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this, but in general, this is the ultimate sign that the job they are offering isn’t real.

2. The Pay is Too Good to Be True

As we mentioned above, from time to time, it is possible that someone might reach out to you for a job—especially if you are highly qualified in your industry. That being said, any offer with six digits should cause you to take a second look. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

3. The Company Doesn’t Exist

This scam is unique in that the companies the recruiters say they are from are legitimate companies. However, it is just good practice to always research a company before any interview to ensure the company is who they say they are and that the position exists.

In this instance, we recommend emailing the company HR manager to see if the position being offered is indeed open, and that the recruiter does indeed work for the company. If the company has not heard of your recruiter—then run.

4. The Interview isn’t Being Conducted on Zoom

Honestly, any reputable company should use Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meets to conduct an interview. If they suggest any other video platform you haven’t heard of, this is a red flag.

Some companies do use their own platform, though—and in these cases, you should be offered access without needing to download anything. If they ask you to download something, you should definitely double-check all of the above information before doing so.

Overall, it is very scary that crypto hackers have come up with a scam that has been as successful as this one. It is also one of the trickier ones to spot. Regardless of whether you’ve already become a victim of this scam or not, staying safe on the internet is very difficult to do these days. We hope you will research anything that sounds too good to be true before taking part, and remember, above all else—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is a scam.