Sophisticated Social Engineering Scam Targeting Bitcoin Users
A highly coordinated social engineering scam has been uncovered, involving fraudulent impersonations of well-known figures in the Bitcoin and finance space. Scammers are using fake identities and Calendly phishing links to trick victims into screen sharing, allowing them to gain access to sensitive accounts and steal funds.
How the Scam Works
Fake DM from a “Journalist” or “Investor”
Scammers impersonate high-profile individuals, including Bloomberg journalists and a16z representatives.
The fake accounts claim to be looking for crypto-related interviews for a new podcast or series.
Phishing via a Fraudulent Calendly Link
The scammers send a Calendly link that appears legitimate but impersonates Bloomberg or other financial organizations.
The fraudulent link is often something like calendly.com/bloomberginterv.
Screen Sharing & Remote Access Attack
Once the victim books an interview, scammers request a Zoom or Google Meet call.
They convince victims to share their screens, gaining access to sensitive accounts.
A malicious script runs in the background, stealing crypto wallet keys, logins, and private data.
Some stolen Bitcoin has been tracked via mempool.space
Audio recordings of scam calls have surfaced:
Fake Identities Used by Scammers
Scammers have used the following fake personas:
Sergej Stojanovic – Fake Bloomberg journalist.
Eric Liu – Fake crypto journalist.
Keerti Mukkamala – Fake Bloomberg software engineer.
Matt Levine – Fake Bloomberg columnist.
Alana Benton – Fake venture capitalist offering Web3 interviews.
How to Protect Yourself
Verify Journalists & Investors – Always check official websites and social media before engaging.
Avoid Screen Sharing – Never share your screen with unknown individuals.
Check for Fake URLs – Be wary of slight misspellings in links.
Secure Your Bitcoin – Use hardware wallets and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Report Suspicious Accounts – If you see these fake profiles, report them immediately.
