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<ul>
 <li>31 North Koreans posed as freelance crypto developers.</li>
 <li>They infiltrated top crypto firms as remote hires.</li>
 <li>The scam led to $680K in stolen crypto funds.</li>
</ul>
<p>In a shocking development, 31 North Korean nationals have been caught posing as freelance developers to infiltrate leading crypto companies. By pretending to be skilled coders from other countries, they secured remote jobs and gained access to internal systems. Authorities revealed that this elaborate scheme helped them steal over <strong>$680,000</strong> in digital assets from unsuspecting firms.</p>
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<p>These imposters used fake names, resumes, and even posed as U.S. citizens to land positions at well-known crypto companies. Once hired, they discreetly funneled sensitive data and assets back to North Korea, contributing to the regime’s cyber warfare and missile programs.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="strong-part-of-a-larger-pattern-strong"><strong>Part of a Larger Pattern</strong></h2>
<p>This isn’t the first time North Korea has used cyber tactics to fund its operations. The country’s infamous Lazarus Group has been linked to several high-profile crypto heists, including the <strong>$600M Axie Infinity hack</strong> in 2022. However, this new approach—posing as legitimate workers—marks a disturbing evolution in their strategy.</p>
<p>The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI have issued fresh warnings to Web3 and crypto startups to conduct <strong>rigorous background checks</strong> when hiring remote workers, especially freelance developers. Many of the fake applicants used compromised GitHub profiles and fake LinkedIn accounts to appear credible.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter">
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  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
   <p>INSIGHT: 31 fake North Korean devs infiltrated top crypto firms, stealing $680K by posing as legit hires. <a href="https://t.co/ZATUjtlDRD" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">pic.twitter.com/ZATUjtlDRD</a></p>— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cointelegraph/status/1963595655663792459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">September 4, 2025</a>
  </blockquote>
 </div>
</figure>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="strong-security-tips-for-crypto-companies-strong"><strong>Security Tips for Crypto Companies</strong></h2>
<p>To avoid becoming victims of similar scams, crypto firms are urged to:</p>
<ul>
 <li>Perform enhanced identity verification.</li>
 <li>Cross-check GitHub and LinkedIn accounts with references.</li>
 <li>Be wary of freelancers using VPNs or hiding IP addresses.</li>
 <li>Use blockchain analytics tools to monitor suspicious internal activity.</li>
</ul>
<p>The incident has reignited discussions about remote work security and the global risks posed by <strong>North Korean crypto scams</strong>.</p>
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</ul>
<p>The post <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://coinomedia.com/north-korean-crypto-scam/">North Korean Crypto Scam: 31 Fake Devs Steal $680K</a> appeared first on <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://coinomedia.com">CoinoMedia</a>.</p>

North Korean Crypto Scam: 31 Fake Devs Steal $680K

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