Originally published on: December 16, 2024
An Arizona man’s cunning scheme to pose as an Uber driver in Scottsdale has landed him in hot water after reportedly stealing a hefty $300,000 in cryptocurrency from unsuspecting passengers.
The Scottsdale Police Department busted Nuruhussein Hussein for allegedly deceiving two victims outside the W Hotel in Scottsdale on separate occasions, in March and October. Hussein, pretending to be their Uber driver, even addressed the passengers by their names to gain their trust.
Once inside his car, Hussein requested to borrow the passengers’ phones under false pretenses, claiming his device was malfunctioning or offering to fix issues with the Uber app. Little did the victims know, they were falling into a trap set by this crafty con artist.
Hussein allegedly used the passengers’ phones to carry out illicit phone-to-phone transfers of cryptocurrency from their Coinbase accounts to cold storage. The victims were left in shock as their digital assets vanished, with one even being threatened by Hussein when they became suspicious.
Following a thorough investigation, Scottsdale detectives and US Secret Service agents arrested Hussein on charges of theft, fraud, and money laundering on December 11. Prosecutors pushed for a hefty $200,000 cash bond, along with electronic monitoring should Hussein make bail, to prevent him from fleeing or destroying evidence.
The ban on internet use and overseas travel imposed on Hussein reflects the severity of the allegations against him. Prosecutors are adamant about preventing any further illicit activities or attempts to evade justice by the accused.
Instances of offline cryptocurrency theft, like this shocking case in Arizona, are on the rise globally. With at least 19 recorded incidents in the past year alone, it’s evident that crypto holders must remain vigilant against such deceptive tactics.
From dubious phone transfers to daring Bitcoin ATM heists, the world of cryptocurrency continues to attract not only investors but also cunning criminals looking to make a quick buck.
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