Job hunting can be tough, but it’s even tougher when scammers try to take advantage of your situation. That’s exactly what happened to me a few weeks ago when I nearly fell for a fake job offer in the crypto industry. I’m sharing this story in the hope that it will help others recognize the signs before it’s too late.

I received a direct message on a professional networking site from someone claiming to be a recruiter for a new blockchain startup. The job sounded perfect—remote work, great pay, and a chance to be involved in an innovative project. The recruiter said they were looking for people with a background in crypto and offered a position almost immediately after a brief chat. I was excited and ready to accept the offer. The company had a website, a presence on social media, and even what appeared to be a team page with bios of the founders.

But then things started to feel off. The recruiter asked for a lot of personal information upfront, including my passport details and my wallet address. They claimed that they needed this for “tax purposes” and to set up my payment method. I hesitated, but I was eager to secure the job. However, just before I sent them my information, I decided to do a quick background check. I searched for the company and the recruiter on several crypto forums, and that’s when I found multiple reports from other people who had been contacted by the same recruiter.

It turned out that the entire job offer was a scam designed to steal personal information and use it for identity theft. They would use these details to access people’s crypto wallets or even open accounts in their names. I was lucky to catch on before it was too late, but I learned how easily scammers can target those looking for new opportunities in the crypto space.

What I learned from this is that no legitimate company will ask for sensitive information like your wallet address or passport details before a proper interview process. If you get an unsolicited job offer that seems too good to be true, always dig deeper. Ask for a formal interview, verify the recruiter’s identity, and reach out to the company directly through their official channels to confirm that the position is real. It’s better to be safe than sorry. If you come across similar scams, don’t hesitate to warn others in online communities—it can make all the difference.