🧨 Web3 Job Red Flags: 5 Scams You Shouldn’t Fall For

Web3 is full of opportunity — but it’s also full of noise.

High-paying remote gigs, token packages, anonymous teams, vague roadmaps… sound familiar?

We’ve seen talented people join projects with huge promises — only to get ghosted, underpaid, or stuck holding worthless tokens. Some even end up accidentally helping run illegal ops.

So we wrote this guide to help you vet Web3 companies like a pro. From shady compensation structures to due diligence checklists — here’s everything you need to know.

⚠️ Common Red Flags in Web3 Jobs

1. “Big salary” that’s 90% in tokens

Sounds great on paper — $120k base + 50,000 XYZ tokens! But once you dig in…

• The fiat portion might be just $1k/month.
• Tokens are illiquid or not even launched.
• Lockups are 3+ years, or they void if you leave.
• No revenue model = rug risk.

Ask yourself:

Would I still join this project if the token went to zero?

2. Hype but no real product

They’ll call it “the Layer 2 to end all Layer 2s”… but:

• No GitHub.
• Only demo is a Figma prototype or marketing video.
• Team’s “launch” is just a fork of someone else’s repo.

Watch out for:

• Buzzwords overload: ZK, AI, DePIN, modular everything.
• Empty whitepapers with no delivery.
• Devs getting cut post-launch, marketing team left running the show.

3. “Remote-friendly” = zero structure

Everyone loves remote freedom… until there’s:

• No roadmap.
• No deadlines.
• No product manager, just chaos.

Timezone hell, always-on Slack, late-night meetings — with no one actually driving anything forward.

And in some cases? You’ll be tracked like it’s a BPO call center. Screen time screenshots and all.

4. Security? What’s that?

• Contracts unaudited.
• Backend has no staging or test environments.
• Smart contracts upgraded in prod.
• Single dev with AWS root access.

One “temp fix” becomes a permanent backdoor. Add anonymous founders and you’re one hack away from being unemployed.

5. Legal grey zones

Some teams are:

• Launching exchanges in jurisdictions with no license.
• Running yield platforms that look a lot like Ponzi schemes.
• Avoiding KYC/AML and bragging about it.

You join as a dev or growth lead, and next thing you know, your name’s on a cease-and-desist.

If stuff goes down, founders vanish and you are the one stuck with angry users or legal heat.

🧠 How to Do Proper Due Diligence

Let’s break it down:

1. Check funding claims

• Search Crunchbase, RootData, PitchBook
• Confirm investors’ names on their official websites
• Cross-check with press — Coindesk, The Block, etc.

If they say “raised $10M” but you can’t find a single confirmation, 🚩.

2. GitHub is your friend

If they say they’re building infra, the repo should show it.

Look for:

• Recent and consistent commits
• Real contributors (not brand new sockpuppet accounts)
• Issues + community feedback

If it’s closed-source and unaudited? Extra caution.

3. Deep dive the team

• Search founders on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube
• Reverse image search their avatars (seriously)
• Check if they’ve built anything credible before

Watch out for:

• Vague bios like “Crypto OG” or “Tech Visionary”
• Zero followers + high engagement = bots

Founders with no history or overly staged social accounts = proceed with care.

4. Lurk in the community

Join the Discord, Telegram, or X.

Real communities talk about:

• Product issues
• Token unlock concerns
• Hiring and roadmap progress

Fake ones are all emoji spam, giveaway bots, or silence.

Bonus tip: search “ProjectName + scam” or “rug pull” on X. You’d be surprised.

5. Ask the hard questions in interviews

You’re interviewing them, too.

Try these:

• What % of salary is in fiat vs tokens?
• What’s your monthly burn? Runway?
• Who’s the team? Are they full-time?
• Who are your investors? Are they public?

Red flag if:

• They avoid talking numbers.
• No one can explain the actual product.
• Roadmap = vibes only.

💬 Final Thoughts

In crypto, the line between “early stage” and “sketchy” can be thin. It’s your job to ask the right questions.

Don’t just fall for logos, vibes, or big promises. Look for real builders, shipping real products, with real teams.

You deserve to work on something legit.

Brought to you by ChainHire 🧠
At ChainHire, we help Web3 builders and believers find the right opportunities. Whether you’re hiring or looking — we’re building the go-to home for remote crypto jobs and real industry insights.