Consumer complaint received 2021-11-24
Company: Coinbase, Inc.
State: MO
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Virtual currency
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On Monday the XXXX I received an email stating that someone was trying to gain access to my XXXX  email. It stated if it wasnt me then click the link I did not because I thought it was a phishing scam of some kind. 
Tuesday the XXXX I received a text stating that my Coinbase acct password had been changed. I never received or authorized this transaction. I attempted to gain access to my account but could not, I was locked out. I attempted to make a phone call to ask Coinbase about it but my phone would not allow any calls out after the changed password text. I searched online and found a way to message Coinbase and filled out their form stating what had happened and demanded them to freeze my acct. 
After doing that I went to my cell provider to see what was going on with my phone. I found out that my phone was hijacked with some sort of SIM swap. I had to wait an hr in line before I was seen to take care of the emergency. I have two factor authentications activated on My Coinbase acct - the hackers were able to use my phone somehow and receive the text and or emails that give them that authenticating email and text and didnt know anything until I was locked out and got a final text stating that my password had been changed. 
I followed all of Coinbase protocols in an attempt to get my account back and activated with no luck. When I attempted to change my password, I would never receive the emails with the link to do so. Until the XXXX of XXXX I could not reset my password. A tech friend made me aware that the hacker could have made the coin base recovery password a blocked email so I would never be able to stop the hack. That was the case and I unblocked the email after we searched and found it. I have no idea how much of my 13 thousand dollars were taken. I had almost 9k in a dollar coin that was something stable and sort of a place holder until I wanted to do another coin transaction. I have roughly 69 million XXXX coins as well. I have no idea how much was taken because they wont tell me and I cant gain access. What can I do? Who can I make aware of this this isnt safe for anyone? If I used two factor authentication and still was hacked this is something that should be regulated a bit more. They make you feel like this is a legit exchange but this happens and now they wont even talk to me or help me. 
My wife read up on the issue and it looks like this has happened quite a bit. A few months back over 6k people were hacked in the same manner on coin base and Coinbase hold the accts that were hacked hostage. There is a class action suit against Coinbase because they seize peoples money/accounts and wont let them in. Wont help them, wont call them, etc. 
She also read that the SIM that was hacked should be kept and used for evidence. On the XXXX at around XXXX pm XXXX my wife called the XXXX store that helped me by giving me a new SIM and taking the old and made them aware that we needed the SIM back for evidence. They told her that they would call her the next day they didnt so she called them. She was told that they would find it and reach back out. She made them aware that this was evidence that we needed. Later on, the XXXX she was told by the XXXX employee working out of the XXXX XXXX  XXXXXXXX XXXX  location so sorry we got busy and someone threw it away. I have requested to see where was my sim swapped to? They can see what phone # used my phone number but they wont let me know. The fact that they threw away the sim card makes me question if the whole company is complicit in hiding the facts. A lot of times these sim swap attacks happen from inside said phone companies. Someone either works for the provider or pays a friend who pays a bit of money for each time they do the swap. 
I have filed reports online with the FBI, FTC, FCC, and the state Attorney generals office. The first week no one reached out. No one has called to get more info ; no one has asked XXXX for the info on which device my number was swapped to. Coin base after a week allowed me to reset my acct and when I got in there is only 8 dollars left. What do I pay taxes for? Where is my help on this issue??? The State Attorney General responded on Monday the XXXX saying they would attempt to contact the company. I have read multiple people 's complaints online stating that they even drove to the headquarters to find it boarded up. The way they have responded or lack thereof makes me feel like they are the crooks that took my money. 



A SIM swap attack is a hijacking method carried out by manipulating cellular network employees to duplicate phone numbers so a scammer can intercept two-factor authorization requests. Such requests lead to access to a victim 's account.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief