New Employment Scam Is Targeting Web3 Developers On Social Media; Here's How It Works

A new scam is targeting developers in the Web3 gaming industry. Game developers are receiving direct messages from scammers offering them a Solidity developer position for a Web3 game MythIsland. The fraudulent website employs sophisticated ways to deceive unsuspecting developers by asking them to download malware. The website uses detailed graphics, credible associates, and functional links to create an illusion of authenticity.

Unmasking The Scam

The fraud was uncovered when a freelance developer named 0xMario on X (formerly Twitter) fell victim to the scam. The developer detailed his experience in the thread, cautioning others to beware. The post has since gone viral and several other users have come forward reporting similar scams.

Here's How The Scam Works

The scam started with a direct message on X from a now-deleted account @ameliachicel. The user offered an exciting job opportunity centered around a Web3 game called MythIsland. The job was for a Solidity position, which is a popular programming language used for implementing smart contracts.

The fraudulent website featured impressive graphics and functioning links, along with a display of a detailed presentation of the game. As per the website, the game included an in-game economy and NFT aspects as well. Further, the team members of the operation appeared to be doxxed, lending an air of credibility to the project. The scammers linked professional-looking websites and social media profiles as well.

After a developer accepted the offer, the conversation progressed onto the messaging platform Telegram. Their detailed conversations about the job and game occurred, including an introduction to the team, an exchange of information, and more.

However, things took a turn when the developer was asked to download a game launcher to access an alpha version of the game. As per the thread, 0xMario exercised caution and chose to use a virtual Windows machine for the download. However, during the process, a .NET Framework update error occurred halting the process. This raised suspicion for the developer, who then reported it to the team of scammers.

The team then asked the developer to use a different Windows machine. The developer used an old Windows machine for the download but the same error occurred again. Following this, the scammers swiftly erased all communications and blocked the developer. Recognizing the risk, the developer treated his equipment as compromised and proceeded to clean it thoroughly.

It was later revealed that the entire project and its team created a web of deceit. To make their scam seem more authentic, the fraudsters even went to the extent of creating detailed social media profiles to fool people. One of these profiles purported to be a former developer at Cosmos Network which added another layer of credibility to the scheme.

Therefore, it is always recommended to use a virtual machine or an expendable computer for performing any suspicious downloads to minimize risk. Further secure methods like Google Docs can be used for document transfers.

The game launcher could have been a potential malware that aimed to compromise the system of the developer. It could have been ransomware, which locks all the data on the computer until a ransom is paid. Further, the malware could have simply stolen critical information or financial information of the developer.

This incident serves as a wake up call in the Web3 space. Several blockchain security firms have advised users and developers to exercise extreme caution when downloading files, particularly executables and scripts.