Raelene Vandenbosch, a pharmacy manager from Canada, has taken legal action against Rogers Communications and Match Transact Inc. after falling victim to a SIM-swap scam in 2021 that resulted in the theft of Bitcoin initially worth $531,000—now valued at approximately $1.8 million.

Vandenbosch claims that a hacker impersonated a Rogers technician and deceived an employee at a Match-owned phone kiosk in Montreal into sharing their computer screen. This allowed the fraudster to gain access to her account and transfer her phone number to a new SIM card, despite her being in British Columbia at the time.

She has since filed lawsuits in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, accusing both companies of negligence, breach of privacy, and breach of contract. Vandenbosch is seeking compensation for the original value of the stolen Bitcoin, additional damages, and a public acknowledgment of wrongdoing from the companies involved.

In response, Rogers and Match maintain that the dispute should be resolved through private arbitration, citing a clause in her Rogers mobile contract. However, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Anita Chan ruled that while most parts of the case must proceed to arbitration, the demand for a public admission can go forward in court due to its relevance to public interest.

A spokesperson for Rogers defended the company's position, stating: “As fraudsters continue to evolve their tactics, we are constantly enhancing our security measures to safeguard our customers.”

Vandenbosch also challenged the arbitration clause, citing new B.C. consumer protection laws enacted in March that prohibit such clauses in mobile service contracts. But Justice Chan determined that the new rules cannot be applied retroactively. The B.C. Attorney General’s office confirmed that the updated arbitration regulations only cover disputes filed after March 31, 2025.