Tourist loses $123 in bitcoin and XRP after sedative scam in London

• Tourist loses cryptocurrencies after “Devil's Breath” attack
• Scam involved fake Uber driver and use of sedative
• Bitcoin and XRP wallets emptied in London

Jacob Irwin-Cline, 30, claims to have lost $123 worth of bitcoin and XRP after an attack while traveling in London. The incident occurred after he left a bar in Soho and, while looking for a ride on Uber, was approached by a driver posing as his real driver.

According to the report , the driver, identified only as Mohammed, called him by the nickname used on the app, which reinforced the false credibility. The victim got into the car without checking the license plate or model of the vehicle. It was later discovered that the car was not the Toyota Prius registered on the app, but rather a dark sedan operated, possibly by an accomplice using an Uber account.

Irwin-Cline believes he was drugged with scopolamine, a substance known as “Devil’s Breath,” which was allegedly mixed into a cigarette offered by the driver. This drug is known for inducing memory blackouts and high suggestibility. The American claims to have handed over his cell phone and access codes as he drifted in and out of consciousness. In the early hours of May 9, he was left in a London suburb and hit by a car, where he was found injured and without his cell phone.

Back at the hostel where he was staying, he realized that his laptop had been remotely wiped. His cryptocurrency wallets were virtually emptied. Screenshots shared show that his XRP wallet fell from $73 to less than $1 and his bitcoin wallet from $50 to less than $10, in addition to losses in other crypto assets.

Despite having traced part of the funds to platforms such as MEXC and BTSE, Irwin-Cline assesses that there is “less than 1% chance” of recovering the lost value, given the lack of insurance or efficient recovery mechanisms for cryptocurrencies in situations like this. He also states that toxicology tests were not performed, which makes it difficult to prove the use of the substance in the crime.