A man who pretends to be an Uber driver has stolen about $300,000 in cryptocurrency from nondescript passengers, police claim. The scam shows effectiveness across major metropolitan areas where it seeks to gain access into the individuals’ wallets while exploiting their trust.
Not knowing as investigations are still ongoing, the suspect was said to have been operating in very high-traffic nightlife areas. A successful disguise as a legitimate driver of ride-hailing services was used to lure drunken or distracted individuals into his vehicle. Once inside, he had them unlock their phones under the guise that he needed to confirm things about the ride or payment.
According to police, the man used sophisticated techniques to access the cryptocurrency applications, either stealing private keys or making unauthorized transactions. By the time victims even realized that their money was missing, this suspect had already sent the cryptocurrency to wallets that are undetectable.
A Sophisticated Operation
Detective Laura Ramirez, the lead investigator said: “This was not a spur of the moment crime. He thoroughly studied his targets before acting on their weaknesses.” Ramirez added that “we believe he used some social engineering along with technological know-how to pull this one off.”
Because of its decentralized and, many times, anonymous nature, cryptocurrency has become one of the best targets for cyber criminals. Once a cryptocurrency has transferred funds, it becomes almost impossible to recover them as compared to traditional bank accounts.
A Trail of Victims
According to authorities, at least 40 people across different cities were victimized by this scheme. Most were young professionals and tech-savvy individuals who thought they were safe as their wallets were encrypted. Here is an excerpt from one victim’s story, narrated by Alex Carter.
“I was out with friends and ordered an Uber. When this guy pulled up, I didn’t think twice about it,” Carter said. “He said there was a problem with my payment and ordered me to unlock my phone. The next morning, I woke up to my account completely drained of Bitcoin.”
Uber Responds
Uber released a statement emphasizing its commitment to passenger safety and reminding users to verify their driver’s identity through the app.
“We are deeply concerned about reports of fraudulent activity involving individuals impersonating Uber drivers. We urge all riders to confirm vehicle details, including the license plate and driver’s photo, before entering a car,” the company said.
An Ongoing Investigation:
Cybercrime units and federal law enforcement agencies have joined hands to trace every stolen penny and the people responsible for it. They have also urged the victims to report any suspicious incidents to ride-share services.
“We’re using blockchain analytics tools to track the movement of the stolen cryptocurrency,” explained Detective Ramirez. “While those tools are helpful, the use of privacy-based wallets by the suspect is a significant hurdle in our effort.”
The public has been warned more broadly that, when using ride-hail services, passengers should confirm who they’ve got behind the wheel using the official app and refrain from unlocking their phones or giving away sensitive info to anyone claiming to be a ride-hail driver.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the potential risks associated with digital currencies and the importance of securing personal information.
