Scammers lure job seekers with fake interview tools, stealing crypto savings
Job hunters are being targeted by fraudsters who pose as recruiters on platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, prompting victims to download malicious interview documents that drain cryptocurrency wallets.
Scammers are exploiting the competitive job market by masquerading as recruiters on sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed, urging applicants to install fake interview software. One victim, who had posted a job-seeking status on LinkedIn, received a video-call invitation, completed a technical assessment via a Google Sheet, and later discovered that the document contained malware that emptied £18,000 from his cryptocurrency accounts.
LinkedIn highlighted a “Gen Z Scam Gap,” noting that 32% of younger professionals report high exposure to scams, while many still ignore red flags. Cyber-security researcher Charlie Kelly of Have I Been Squatted described the attack as sophisticated, with the malicious program appearing to be a legitimate, digitally signed application within a real Google login session. Malwarebytes warned that counterfeit apps like a fake Indeed Interview app are being used to gain access to private data for financial theft, emphasizing that genuine interviews on Indeed never require app downloads.
