Skype
Skype has been named in 2 documented digital harm incidents. The most common harm domain is Fraud & Financial.
Documented Incidents
2Elderly European woman loses Dh12 million to romance scammer posing as Dubai businessman in UAE
An elderly European woman fell victim to a romance scam, losing nearly Dh12 million (approximately $3.3 million) after being emotionally manipulated by a fraudster posing as a Dubai-based businessman. The scammer, who is of African nationality, convinced her to sell her assets and transfer the money to him, after which she relocated to Dubai and discovered the deception. The incident occurred in the UAE, with the scammer operating remotely from an African country. Dubai Police’s cybercrime unit investigated the case and shared details with international law enforcement through diplomatic channels. The fraudster is described as part of a broader trend of online romance scams, where scammers use social media to target vulnerable individuals. Authorities emphasized the importance of digital awareness and urged victims to report scams promptly.
53-year-old bank CEO loses $47M to pig butchering scam via WhatsApp and crypto investments, 24-year prison sentence in August 2023
A 53-year-old bank CEO from Elkhart, Kansas, lost $47 million in a pig butchering scam between December 2022 and July 2023, transferring funds from his personal savings, church, and bank deposits into cryptocurrency investments. The scam began with a mistaken WhatsApp message and evolved into a months-long relationship before the fraudster convinced him to invest in crypto. In August 2023, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 24 years in prison. The FBI recovered $8 million of the stolen funds by November 2023. A 37-year-old programmer in Philadelphia also lost $450,000 in a similar scam after being courted online by a fake European investor who convinced her to invest in a cryptocurrency platform. The platform later demanded additional fees before she realized it was a scam.