American Tourist Loses $123,000 in Crypto in London Uber Scam
A trip through London turned into a disaster for an American tourist who lost all his crypto savings in a single night. Here’s what happened:
1. The Setup: A Night Out in London
Jacob Irwin-Cline, 30, was in London for a short layover on his way to visit family in Spain.
He went out for drinks at Roxy nightclub in Soho.
Afterward, he ordered an Uber to go back to his hostel.
2. The Fake Uber Trap
A driver greeted him by name — but the car didn’t match the one on the Uber app.
Jacob still got in, thinking it was fine.
3. The Suspicious Cigarette 🚬
The driver offered him a cigarette.
Jacob declined at first, then accepted.
The cigarette may have been laced with scopolamine, a dangerous sedative known to cause memory loss and confusion.
4. Losing Consciousness & Access
While dazed, Jacob gave the driver his phone to “check directions.”
The driver likely used this moment to access his crypto apps and steal his funds.
When Jacob came to, his phone and laptop were wiped clean.
5. Total Crypto Loss: $123,000
$72,000 in XRP
$50,000 in Bitcoin
Smaller amounts in other coins
He now works with the FBI’s virtual assets unit to investigate.
6. Crypto Recovery? Nearly Impossible
The thief didn’t hack anything — they used social engineering (tricking Jacob in person).
Most of Jacob’s funds were stored in cold wallets (offline), so insurance and recovery options are limited.
7. Crypto Market Today
$BTC around
XRP: Priced at #xrp , boosted by Ripple’s legal win over the SEC
Alert: Crypto safety isn't just digital — it's physical. One moment of trust can cost everything.