A tourist in Bali lost $14,000 in cryptocurrency after giving an unlocked phone to a woman who offered to add herself on Instagram.
The group of women distracted him and disappeared after a few rounds of drinks. He soon realised that his cryptocurrency wallet had been completely erased, reported ABAB news.
Travellers are frequently the target of this kind of social engineering attack, which takes advantage of attention and trust.
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In Bali, organised gangs are increasingly targeting visitors at packed pubs or beach clubs. A popular strategy is for a pleasant local to approach a visitor and ask to take a picture on the tourist’s phone or exchange contact details.
The fraudster swiftly launches the cryptocurrency wallet software on the phone, verifies transactions, and depletes the balance if the victim is unconscious or drunk. When a trader gave their unlocked phone to a woman they had just met at a venue to swap Instagram handles, they lost $14,000 in Solana in a matter of seconds.
Tourist in Bali lost $14,000 in crypto after handing unlocked phone to a woman who offered to add herself on Instagram
After a few rounds of drinks, the group of women distracted him and vanished
Moments later, he discovered his crypto wallet had been wiped clean pic.twitter.com/pleAtnPmux
— RT (@RT_com) July 23, 2026
During a high-frequency time of cryptocurrency adoption and physical security flaws, similar occurrences of iPhone theft targeting tourists in European locations have resulted in wallet emptying.
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Indonesian law enforcement sent out a team of 8-12 undercover intelligence personnel after receiving a brief police report. At local locations, they were able to locate and apprehend the culprits. The people in question are being held and may be deported in addition to being charged with crimes.
This fraud exemplifies a growing global trend of using physical closeness and basic distraction tactics to target people with digital assets.
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