Fake Uber Driver Steals $123,000 in Crypto From US Tourist

Cryptos: 21,330
Exchanges: 1,863
Market Cap: $3.44T 3.52%
24h Vol: $346,994,776,154 52.83%
Dominance: BTC: 61.6% ETH: 8.7%
Gas: 12 GWEI

Connect

Crypto News Exploits

Crypto Heist in London: Fake Uber Driver Steals $123,000 From US Tourist

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: May 21, 2025

Key Takeaways

A US tourist lost $123,000 in XRP and BTC after entering a fake Uber and being drugged with a spiked cigarette;
Under the drug’s effects, he gave up his phone passcode, which granted full access to his crypto wallets;
Police say no hacking was involved—just direct access and a tactic known as a "wrench attack".

Ace quick missions & earn crypto rewards while gaining real-world Web3 skills. Participate Now ! 🔥

Crypto Heist in London: Fake Uber Driver Steals $123,000 From US Tourist

BITDEGREE IN YOUR SOCIAL FEED

A short visit to London ended in major losses for a US tourist who unknowingly gave a fake Uber driver access to his crypto accounts, according to a May 21 report by MyLondon.

Jacob Irwin-Cline, from Portland, Oregon, had just finished a night out at The Roxy nightclub in Soho on May 9. After leaving around 1:30 AM, he called an Uber to get back.

Footage later showed he had entered the wrong vehicle. Irwin-Cline also noted that he accepted a cigarette when offered by the driver.

What is Impermanent Loss in Crypto? (Explained With Animations)

Did you know?

Want to get smarter & wealthier with crypto?

Subscribe - We publish new crypto explainer videos every week!

He believes the cigarette was laced with a drug called scopolamine, which can cause confusion and make people more open to suggestion.

Under its influence, Irwin-Cline shared his phone’s passcode. The driver used this to access his Revolut app, which was linked to his crypto wallets. By the time Irwin-Cline was left alone in an unfamiliar part of London, the attacker had already transferred large amounts of digital currency from his accounts.

Irwin-Cline mentioned that he attempted to obtain toxicology results from the hospital and the police, but was told that no tests had been conducted.

According to police, the person did not hack into any systems. They used the unlocked phone and direct access to get into the wallets. About $123,000 worth of cryptocurrency was taken, including $50,000 in Bitcoin BTC $106,980.59 , $72,000 in XRP XRP $2.36 , and smaller amounts in other tokens.

This kind of theft is sometimes called a "wrench attack", where someone gains access to digital assets through physical pressure rather than digital methods.

Meanwhile, on May 13, four men attempted to abduct the daughter and grandson of Paymium’s CEO in central Paris. What was their motive? Read the full story.