Crypto options exchange Deribit has issued a warning about fraudulent job recruitment schemes targeting professionals in the cryptocurrency industry. These scams, primarily appearing on LinkedIn, involve scammers posing as recruiters to exploit job seekers, particularly developers and senior-level candidates.

Deribit’s chief information security officer, Anthony Sweeney, highlighted the rising trend in a March 19 post on X by saying that there has been “a surge in scammers posing as recruiters claiming to work for Deribit.” Scammers frequently target the crypto sector before expanding their tactics to other industries. The exchange reported a surge in fraudulent LinkedIn profiles masquerading as Deribit recruiters, offering high-paying job opportunities to lure victims.

Once contact is established, scammers deploy various deceptive methods. Some require candidates to complete an “online assessment” that secretly installs malware. Others offer fake employment opportunities featuring pre-hire perks, such as discounted company shares, only to steal money from applicants. In some cases, fraudsters even arrange in-person meetings under the guise of contract signings, instructing candidates to bring their work laptops—suggesting potential attempts to access corporate data.

To avoid falling victim, Deribit urges job seekers to verify recruiters’ profiles and confirm job offers through official company channels.

This warning follows similar scams reported earlier this year. In January, cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike identified a phishing scheme exploiting recruitment emails to spread Monero mining malware. Attackers impersonated CrowdStrike’s hiring process, directing victims to download a supposed employee CRM application, which secretly installed the XMRig miner on their systems.

Deribit’s alert serves as a reminder for professionals in the crypto space to remain vigilant against increasingly sophisticated job-related fraud.