Key Takeaways
- The scheme is believed to have spanned several months, with Hussein allegedly carrying out similar actions from March to December 2023.
- Authorities have set his bail at $200,000 and imposed restrictions to mitigate the risk of flight,Â
Scottsdale police have arrested a man accused of stealing cryptocurrency by posing as an Uber driver. The suspect, identified as Nuruhussein Hussein, faces charges of theft, fraud, and money laundering. Authorities allege that he targeted passengers outside the W Hotel in Scottsdale in two separate incidents, one in March and another in October.
According to the police, Hussein gained the trust of his victims by pretending to be their requested rideshare driver, even addressing them by name. Once in his vehicle, he reportedly used pretexts such as helping with directions or connecting to the Uber app to access the victims’ smartphones. While handling their devices, Hussein is alleged to have transferred crypto from their digital wallets to his own.
The combined value of the thefts is currently estimated at $300,000, but investigators caution that the total may increase as the inquiry progresses. The scheme is believed to have spanned several months, with Hussein allegedly carrying out the actions from March to December 2023.
Hussein was taken into custody and is being held at Maricopa County Jail. Authorities have set his bail at $200,000 and imposed further restrictions to mitigate the risk of flight, including a ban on internet use and travel outside Maricopa County. Police noted that Hussein frequently travels to Ethiopia, which contributed to their concerns about him leaving the jurisdiction.
The investigation involves both local law enforcement and the U.S. Secret Service. A police spokesperson confirmed that efforts are underway to identify additional victims and determine the full extent of the alleged crimes.
Law enforcement officials in Scottsdale have urged the public to remain vigilant, particularly when using rideshare services. They recommend verifying driver details through the app and refraining from handing over devices to anyone, even for seemingly harmless reasons like checking directions.
Crypto-related fraud has seen an uptick in recent years, with scams often targeting individuals unfamiliar with the technology. In a separate incident last month, a Colorado resident was defrauded of $6,000 worth of Bitcoin. In that case, scammers impersonated law enforcement officials, claiming the victim had missed jury duty and needed to pay a fake warrant via a Bitcoin ATM.
As per the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), crypto scams have grown significantly. In the year 2022 alone, tens of thousands of Americans were affected, losing more than $2 billion to crypto scams.
The centre also reported a sharp increase in losses related to crypto, with the amount stolen rising by 45% from 2022 to 2023—totalling over $5.6 billion this year. Phishing scams in the crypto industry have become increasingly common in the crypto space. In 2024 alone, blockchain analytics firm CertiK reported over $750 million lost to phishing attacks in the third quarter.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has previously warned about similar schemes, where fraudsters pose as crypto exchange employees or other trusted figures to exploit victims.
