Imagine waking up to find your entire life savings just… gone. That’s exactly what happened to a college student recently, and honestly, the story feels like a gut punch.
It all started with a simple text. It looked like it came from Bank of America—you know, one of those “alert” messages that makes your stomach drop. This one claimed there was a $400 charge at Walmart and a pending $9,400 wire transfer. The kind of thing that makes your heart race.
Naturally, she responded. And almost instantly, her phone rang.
On the other end was someone who sounded like a legit BofA employee. They even talked her through the whole thing, saying she needed to approve a wire transfer to “secure her account.” But here’s the kicker—they also told her she’d get all the money back. That it was just a security step. Totally routine.
She followed the instructions.
Then boom—$5,050 vanished.
Her dad, Matt Antonetti, found out what happened and jumped into action. He immediately called Bank of America, hoping to stop the transfer before it was too late. But it was already done. The money was gone. Just like that.
Matt kept pressing. He called, followed up, explained everything. “Yes, our daughter made a mistake,” he said. “But we alerted the bank right away—we trusted them to help.”
Bank of America didn’t budge.
They told him flat out: they wouldn’t cover it. No reimbursement. No refund. Nothing.
When local news station WFSB News tried to step in and mediate, BofA issued a statement that boiled down to this: if you approve a transaction—even if you were tricked—it doesn’t count as unauthorized under the law. They’ll try to get the money back from the receiving bank, but there’s no guarantee. And most of the time, they said, by the time anyone even looks into it, the funds are long gone.
It’s heartbreaking. The girl did what anyone would do in a panic. She thought she was protecting her account. Instead, she lost everything.
FAQs
Can I get money back if I fall for a scam like this?
Sadly, if you authorize the payment—even under false pretenses—banks often won’t reimburse it.
Why can’t the bank reverse the wire transfer?
Once the money hits the other account, it’s often pulled out fast. There’s no way to force a return.
What should you do if you get a suspicious alert?
Don’t reply. Don’t call back using the number that texted you. Always contact your bank directly.
That’s why I don’t do business with any banks for the past 20 yrs! 3 things you don’t trust in this world, a Banker, a politician and a used car salesman! Nothing but Theving Corrupt Narssist Rats!