Signal
Signal has been named in 2 documented digital harm incidents. The most common harm domain is Fraud & Financial.
Documented Incidents
269-year-old Indiana retiree loses $10,000 to pig-butchering scam via Facebook and encrypted messaging apps
A Bedford, Indiana retiree named Timothy Patton lost $10,000 to a pig-butchering scam after being targeted online through a fake investment group. The scam involved a fake advisor named "Sabrina" and a fraudulent trading platform that claimed he earned $15 million from his investment. Patton was contacted through Facebook and used encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal to communicate with the scammers, who sent him a gold coin in the mail as part of the scam. He filed complaints with the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, and the SEC, and WRTV Investigates confirmed the trading platform was fake. The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions filed a cease-and-desist order against "Sabrina" and the same platform, seeking $17,000 in restitution for a separate victim. The FBI reported that cryptocurrency investment scams, including pig-butchering, cost $5.8 billion in 2024, with people over 60 being the hardest hit.
77-year-old retired lecturer loses £17,000 to romance scam involving AI-generated deepfake videos and fake bank account
A 77-year-old retired lecturer from Edinburgh was conned out of £17,000 in a romance scam involving AI-generated deepfake videos and fake documents. The victim, Nikki MacLeod, met a person named Alla Morgan in a Facebook chat group, believing her to be a woman working on a North Sea oil rig. Over time, Alla sent AI-generated videos and convincing documents, including a fake bank account, which led MacLeod to send money for a helicopter flight and later a house purchase for her daughter. The scam came to light when the fake bank account, named Terrafink Capital, was frozen and began requesting additional payments to unfreeze it. Police Scotland confirmed they are investigating the incident, which was reported on October 13, 2024. A member of the public has claimed to recognize the real Alla Morgan, who is confirmed to be a real person.