CINCINNATI — A Price Hill mother of five told us she lost $5,000 to a scammer who knew exactly what to say to sound like her bank.
After attempts to file disputes to get her money, she said she still hasn't seen a dime of it back.
Rodreana Horton is a new homeowner who works in banking. She knows how financial systems work. And it still happened to her.
"It's devastating due to the fact that I'm a parent of five ... $5,000 is not just growing on a tree," Horton said.
WATCH: How this Price Hill woman lost $5,000 due to a scammer posing as her bank
How to protect yourself right now
If you get a suspicious call or text from your bank, here is what to do:
- Hang up immediately, then call the number on the back of your debit or credit card
- Visit a branch in person to verify any fraud alerts
- Do not click unfamiliar links in text messages claiming to be from your bank
- Never open a new account, transfer funds or share account details based on an unsolicited call — even if the caller ID looks legitimate
- Consider a physical bank with branch locations
How the scam unfolded
Horton said it started on Feb. 20 with a text message warning her of fraudulent activity on her Chime bank account.
Then came a phone call — one that she said appeared to come directly from Chime.
The callers were prepared. They knew her recent transactions. They knew she had just ordered a new debit card. They had detailed personal and account information that made them sound completely legitimate.
"They said that it was some fraudulent activity from somewhere in Dallas, and best thing I need to do was open up a new Chime account due to the fact they had my routing and all the different information," Horton said.
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When the scammers told her she needed to move her funds to a new account because of an alleged breach. She complied — and the money was gone.
The first red flag came when the scammers moved only a partial sum, then abruptly hung up after Horton began asking questions. By then, $5,000 had already been taken.
"It did seem believable. They knew that I had just ordered a card. They knew my last transactions," Horton said.
What Horton did after — and why it wasn't enough
Horton didn't ignore what happened. She took every recommended step including:
- Calling Chime's real customer service line
- Filing a police report
- Contacting the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- Reaching out to Chime multiple times, including escalating to higher-level representatives
- Adding more security to her account
- Contacting the FBI asset recovery team
- Reaching out to media for help
Despite all of that, she said Chime denied her fraud dispute within five days, citing a lack of sufficient evidence. When Horton pushed back, she said the company's reasoning was that the transaction "didn't look fraudulent."
She said she is now closing her Chime account entirely and redirecting her paychecks to a bank she trusts.
The financial and emotional toll
The $5,000 loss has created a financial crisis for Horton and her family.
"I can't pay my mortgage because all my money was snatched away from me," Horton said.
Beyond the mortgage, she said she is struggling to afford basic necessities, and the loss threatens her credit — a serious concern for a new homeowner trying to build financial stability.
The emotional weight has been just as heavy.
"It's beyond frustrating. I'm at a breaking point, I've cried about it," Horton said.
She is now speaking out publicly so others don't end up in the same position.
"I'm not the first and I will not be the last person that this happened to," Horton said.
What the FBI says about cases like this
We asked Stephen Mott, a forensic accountant with the FBI's Cincinnati Field Office, about Horton's case during a joint news conference at the BBB focused on local scams.
Mott said Horton's case is a textbook example of how bank imposter scams operate — scammers create urgency, sound legitimate and keep victims on the phone while money is transferred out.
He said the sooner law enforcement is contacted, the better the chance of stopping a transfer.
"Especially if it's transferred overseas, it's withdrawn, and it's gone," Mott said.
Mott said the chances of Horton getting her money back are low.
Where to report a bank scam
If you or someone you know has been targeted, here's where to turn:
Act fast. The FBI says the sooner a report is filed, the better the chance authorities have of intercepting a transfer before it is gone for good.
Chime has not resolved the case
I reached out to Chime asking whether there is any path to recovering Horton's money. The company said it would look into it. As of now, Horton is still without that $5,000.
So here's the bottom line: if you get a text or call from your bank, even one that looks real, hang up and dial the number on the back of your card, or visit a branch in person. That's the simplest way to protect yourself, so you don't waste your money.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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