Beware of employers who ask for cryptocurrency to kickstart your work-from-home dream job, as it is likely a scam, according to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In a statement released on June 4, the FBI highlighted an increase in work-from-home job scams. These scammers reach out to potential victims with enticing offers for simple tasks like rating restaurants or clicking a button to “optimize” a service.
Victims may be misled into thinking they are earning money, as scammers lead them to a fake interface that displays earnings that cannot be cashed out. The scam escalates when victims are instructed to make cryptocurrency payments to the fake employer to access more work, only for the payments to end up in the scammer’s pocket.
The FBI pointed out warning signs to look out for, such as job descriptions overly emphasizing the term “optimization” and not requiring references during the hiring process.
As the trend of working from home gains popularity, more individuals are falling prey to these traps. Global remote work reached 28% by the end of 2023, according to Statista data.
Remote workers have the flexibility to choose their location. In a recent interview with Magazine, crypto consultant Dominic Frei shared how he relocated his family from Switzerland to Bali for a better lifestyle and climate.
The FBI’s warning about crypto-related fraud comes after a report revealed a significant increase in investment losses involving crypto, rising from $2.57 billion in 2022 to around $3.94 billion in 2023, marking a 53% jump.
One prevalent crypto scam involves romance scams, where criminals create fake online personas to deceive victims into sending them crypto before disappearing.
For those interested in becoming a Bali-based crypto digital nomad like Frei, Magazine provides insights on how to make it happen.