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Theft

SIM-Swapping Scam Victim May Be Forced to Resolve Issue in Private Arbitration

Strategic Insights

— 3 min read

A Squamish pharmacy manager, Raelene Vandenbosch, allegedly lost over $534,000 in bitcoin in 2021 after her personal information was compromised in a SIM-swapping scam. The scam, allegedly facilitated by a mobile phone kiosk employee in Montreal, allowed a hacker to gain access to her account information and steal her bitcoin. Vandenbosch has filed lawsuits against Rogers Communications and Match Transact Inc., alleging negligence, breach of privacy, and breach of contract. However, a recent B.C. Supreme Court decision may force her to resolve the issue in private arbitration, outside of a courtroom.

Key Takeaways:

  • Raelene Vandenbosch, a pharmacy manager, alleges she lost over $534,000 in bitcoin in 2021 due to a SIM-swapping scam.
  • The scam was allegedly facilitated by a mobile phone kiosk employee in Montreal who shared her computer screen with a hacker posing as a Rogers technician.
  • The hacker gained access to Vandenbosch's account information, locked her out, and stole 12.57969337 bitcoins, worth an estimated $534,529.87 at the time.
  • Vandenbosch's court filing accuses Rogers of failing to adequately beef up security, despite being aware of the risk of fraud posed by SIM swap scams since 2015.
  • The B.C. Supreme Court has ruled that the case must go to arbitration, except for the part seeking a public admission by Rogers, which can proceed because it is in the public interest.
  • Vandenbosch has signed an arbitration agreement with Rogers as part of her cellphone plan, but argues that new rules prohibiting forced arbitration in B.C. should be retroactively applied to her case.
  • The changes to the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act in B.C. that prohibit forced arbitration came into force on March 31, 2025, and do not retroactively apply to existing contracts.
  • Vandenbosch's claim seeks to have Rogers publicly declare it engaged in "deceptive" or "unconscionable" acts in this case, but the restoration order might not apply to the bitcoin.
  • Vandenbosch still does not know who took the bitcoin, and the money wasn't taken by Rogers.

Statistics:

  • The bitcoin stolen from Vandenbosch was worth $534,529.87 at the time and is now worth over $1,840,100 as of July 4, 2025.
  • The SIM-swapping scam allowed the hacker to gain access to Vandenbosch's account information and steal her bitcoin, with 12.57969337 bitcoins being stolen.
  • Vandenbosch has filed lawsuits against Rogers Communications and Match Transact Inc. in three provinces, alleging negligence, breach of privacy, and breach of contract.
  • The B.C. Supreme Court has ruled that the case must go to arbitration, except for the part seeking a public admission by Rogers, which can proceed because it is in the public interest.

Sources:

  • A Squamish pharmacy manager, Raelene Vandenbosch, alleges she lost over $534,000 in bitcoin in 2021 due to a SIM-swapping scam, (Raelene Vandenbosch's court filing).
  • The scam was allegedly facilitated by a mobile phone kiosk employee in Montreal who shared her computer screen with a hacker posing as a Rogers technician, (Raelene Vandenbosch's court filing).
  • The hacker gained access to Vandenbosch's account information, locked her out, and stole 12.57969337 bitcoins, worth an estimated $534,529.87 at the time, (Raelene Vandenbosch's court filing).
  • A spokesperson for the Canadian Telecommunications Association told Black Press that SIM fraud is a global phenomenon that can involve a criminal gaining access to someone's personal information through various means, including purchasing stolen info on the dark web, (Canadian Telecommunications Association spokesperson).
  • The B.C. Ministry of Attorney General clarified further in response to questions from Black Press Media that the changes to the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act in B.C. that prohibit forced arbitration came into force on Royal Assent of Bill 4 on March 31, 2025, (B.C. Ministry of Attorney General spokesperson).
  • A Rogers spokesperson defended the company's security record in an email to Black Press Media, stating that as fraudsters use constantly evolving techniques to try and take advantage of consumers across the wireless industry, we continually strengthen our security measures to protect our customers against fraudulent activity, (Rogers spokesperson).

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