Would your bank protect you like this?
$38,000 disappeared from Justin Chan’s account overnight.
It took him 5 months to get it back.
And only after the media got involved.
Justin was the victim of a SIM-swap attack — someone impersonated him and hijacked his phone number through his carrier. Using intercepted 2FA codes, the attacker wired funds out of his joint Bank of America account.
The initial response from the bank? Case closed.
Robinhood? “There’s nothing we can do.”
It wasn’t until investigative journalists began pressing both companies that Justin started seeing refunds.
Here’s the problem:
Banks and fintech platforms are still playing catch-up when it comes to mobile-related fraud.
And in many cases:
- You’re guilty until proven innocent.
- You must fight every inch for accountability.
- Your security depends on how loud you’re willing to get.
Justin’s story had a happy ending — but only because he pushed back hard.
Most people don’t have a media team backing them.
If the systems protecting our finances rely on PR pressure to function, maybe it’s time we rethink who’s really protecting us.
At @Efani, we believe prevention shouldn’t require a news headline.
#FraudPrevention #BankSecurity #DigitalThreats