On Linux, the norm is that you rarely install a sketchy opaque binary. It either comes from the packages, or from a reputable vendor's official site (like NVidia drivers), or has source code trivially available. This lowers the chance malware could sneak in.
That's because there isn't a vast network of shitware sites geared toward Linux users. If it got popular among non-technical users there would be.
Never ever underestimate what people will do for even mediocre amounts of money. Look into the enormous ecosystem (bordering on a subculture) that exists around click fraud and other forms of ad network abuse, or try to search for some Windows software and look at how many fake sites you get. It's unreal. There's money to be grabbed, so it gets grabbed.
