A Canada-based Nigerian woman has cried out on social media after waking up to a devastating series of unauthorised debit alerts from her Access Bank account, with money actively being transferred out in ₦20,000 instalments using her transfer code — leaving her financially violated and without answers.
The distressed woman recounted how she opened her banking app to discover funds being siphoned in real time, prompting her to immediately alert her husband and mother-in-law, who rushed to the bank on their behalf.
Access Bank reportedly told the family to contact their telecom service provider, MTN, suggesting the number may have been sold — a classic indicator of a SIM swap attack, one of the fastest growing forms of financial fraud in Nigeria.
However, when the family approached MTN, the telecom giant acknowledged the number was sold but deflected responsibility back to the bank — arguing that a PIN would have been required to authorise transfers, making it a banking security issue.
Caught in a dangerous blame game between the bank and the telecom provider, the woman is now left with no clear path to recovery, with Access Bank allegedly telling her there is “nothing they can do.”
Cybersecurity experts warn that SIM swap fraud — where criminals fraudulently obtain a victim’s SIM card to intercept OTPs and authorised banking codes — remains a critical threat to Nigerian bank customers both at home and in the diaspora.
Legal and consumer rights advocates are urging the woman to formally report the case to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the Nigeria Police Force Cybercrime Unit — stressing that both the bank and the telecom provider have regulatory obligations to investigate and respond to fraud complaints.
The CBN’s Consumer Protection Department and the NCC both have formal complaint channels that customers can explore to compel financial institutions and telecom providers to take responsibility.
Nigerians on social media have reacted with outrage, with many sharing similar experiences and calling on regulators to strengthen consumer protection frameworks against the growing menace of SIM swap and mobile banking fraud.
WHAT YOU CAN DO IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU:
Immediately call your bank’s fraud line to freeze your account
Report to CBN via consumerprotection@cbn.gov.ng
Report to NCC via 622 or ncc.gov.ng
File a report with the Nigeria Police Cybercrime Unit
Contact your telecom provider’s fraud desk in writing
TAGS: Access Bank, MTN, SIM Swap Fraud, Cybercrime, Bank Fraud, Nigeria Diaspora, CBN, NCC, Financial Security, CDA News Nigeria
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