A Canadian woman is suing a phone company for losing Bitcoin worth 531,000 USD in a SIM swap scam in 2021.
The victim accuses the phone store staff of disclosing personal information leading to the hacker stealing Bitcoin, currently valued at approximately 1.8 million USD.
MAIN CONTENT
The Bitcoin loss due to SIM swap in Canada was related to the negligence of the phone store staff.
The British Columbia Provincial Court decided to resolve the lawsuit through arbitration instead of public trial.
The victim disputes the arbitration contract as the new BC law prohibits forcing arbitration with customers.
How did Canadian women lose Bitcoin due to SIM swap?
According to court records, the victim, a pharmacy manager, lost over 12 BTC because a hacker impersonated a Rogers technician to deceive Match Transact store staff into granting access to account information. The hacker then transferred all data to a new SIM, taking control and withdrawing cryptocurrency.
The incident occurred while the individual was in British Columbia, demonstrating the cross-border behavior of the hacker. Vandenbosch sued on grounds of negligence, privacy violation, and breach of contract.
“We continuously enhance security to protect customers from increasingly sophisticated fraud in the telecommunications industry.”
Rogers Communications spokesperson, 2024
Rogers had offered a one-month service refund worth 95 USD but was sued for a larger compensation and a request for acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Why was the lawsuit submitted to arbitration instead of court?
Judge Anita Chan of the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that most of the disputes would be resolved through arbitration as per the contract the victim signed with Rogers when purchasing the SIM. However, the request for public acknowledgment of wrongdoing was retained in court for public interest.
Rogers and Match do not admit or deny the allegations but prioritize arbitration to avoid public trial, saving time and costs.
“This will help the parties resolve effectively through arbitration, avoiding prolonged court proceedings, except for the part related to the acknowledgment of wrongdoing that needs to be public.”
Judge Anita Chan, B.C. Supreme Court, 2024
How does the victim oppose the arbitration processing?
Vandenbosch argues that the new law in 2025 from BC prohibits phone companies from forcing customers to commit to arbitration to protect users from being at a disadvantage. She requested the court not to apply arbitration in this case because the previously signed contract is not retroactively affected by the new law.
BC Justice Department spokesperson stated that the law effective from March 31, 2025, only applies to disputes arising after this date. Therefore, contracts signed before remain binding on arbitration if the dispute has been initiated.
Examples and data related to the case
Factors Details Amount of BTC Lost Over 12 BTC Value at Time of Loss Approximately 534,000 USD Current Value Over 1.8 million USD (2024) Cause of Loss Match store staff accessed information for a hacker impersonating a Rogers technician Company's Response Refund of one month’s service worth 95 USD Court Decision Resolved through arbitration, except for the acknowledgment of wrongdoing which is handled publicly
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is SIM swap?
SIM swap is a form of hacking where the hacker takes control of a phone number by switching the SIM to another device, stealing information and digital assets.
Why was the lawsuit moved to arbitration?
Because the telephone service contract has an arbitration clause to resolve disputes faster and avoid public court.
Do users have the right to refuse arbitration?
The new BC law in 2025 allows customers not to be forced into arbitration, but it only applies to new contracts and disputes.
How to protect cryptocurrency from SIM swap?
Should set a strong PIN, use a cold wallet to store assets, and not share verification codes with others.
What should businesses do to avoid SIM swap damage?
Enhance employee training, implement multiple layers of security, and limit sharing customer information.
Source: https://tintucbitcoin.com/nu-canada-kien-nha-mang-mat-bitcoin/
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