A man posing as an Uber driver in Scottsdale, Arizona, has been accused of stealing $300,000 in cryptocurrency from two passengers.
Incidents in Scottsdale
According to Scottsdale police, Nuruhussein Hussein lured victims waiting at the W Hotel by posing as the Uber driver they ordered. Once inside the car, he asked to borrow the passengers' phones, claiming his was broken, or offered to help troubleshoot the Uber app.
Arrest and Charges
Hussein was arrested on December 11 by Scottsdale detectives and U.S. Secret Service agents. He faces charges of theft, fraudulent schemes, and money laundering. A judge set bail at $200,000 with electronic monitoring if he can post bond, while banning him from internet use and overseas travel.
Increase in Crypto Thefts
According to GitHub data, at least 19 cases of offline crypto theft were recorded in the past year, indicating a rise in incidents as digital assets continue to hold high value.
The case highlights the need for caution when using digital platform services and safeguarding digital assets from fraud.
