Thieves Smash Influencer's Car Window and Snatch Her Phone; Hours Later, Her Bank Accounts Are Emptied

A Brazilian influencer says the theft of her iPhone during a daylight roadside robbery quickly escalated into a far more costly ordeal after an unauthorised transfer was allegedly made from her bank account before she could fully secure the device.

Dashcam footage shared by automotive content creator Tabata Lenk shows a masked man smashing the passenger-side window of her car while she was stopped in traffic in São Paulo before grabbing her phone and escaping on a motorcycle.

Lenk said she remotely blocked the device, filed a police report, and disputed the transaction with digital bank Nubank, claiming the thieves did not know her passwords or have access to facial recognition. Authorities are investigating the incident.

Dashcam Captures Daylight Phone Theft

The robbery took place on Avenida Presidente Tancredo Neves in São Paulo's Ipiranga district while Lenk was waiting in traffic. The footage shows two men arriving on a motorcycle before one jumps off, shatters the passenger-side window, and removes the phone mounted inside the vehicle. The pair flee within seconds, leaving Lenk visibly shaken.

Although she said she found the footage difficult to watch, Lenk later posted it on Instagram to help identify the suspects. 'I honestly didn't even want to post it because I can't even watch the video without feeling sick. But please help me share it so these people can be found.' She added that she had already reported the robbery to police, blocked the stolen phone, and challenged what she described as an unauthorised transfer from her bank account.

Alleged Unauthorised Bank Transfer Deepened the Loss

Lenk said the financial impact extended beyond losing her phone. According to her Instagram post, money was transferred from her Nubank account despite the device being protected by a passcode, facial recognition, and a separate banking password. 'They didn't know my password, they didn't have my Face ID, which every bank requires, and they certainly didn't know my banking transfer password. I still don't know how they managed it.'

IBTimes UK has not independently verified how the transfer was allegedly authorised or whether the transaction resulted from access to the device, another form of account compromise, or a separate security issue.

Nubank advises customers whose phones are stolen to immediately disconnect the device from their account, change passwords, report suspicious activity, and dispute any unauthorised transactions so they can be reviewed through the bank's fraud investigation process.

Why Stolen Smartphones Can Become Financial Targets

Brazilian authorities warn that modern smartphones often provide access to banking apps, email accounts, digital wallets, and authentication tools, making them valuable targets for organised criminals. The Brazilian Ministry of Justice's Celular Seguro ('Secure Phone') programme allows victims to quickly block stolen devices and linked digital accounts, while authorities advise notifying mobile carriers, contacting financial institutions, changing passwords, remotely erasing devices where possible, and filing a police report without delay.

Cybersecurity specialists also note that criminals may exploit unlocked devices, stored credentials, or active sessions to access financial services. For that reason, experts recommend enabling multi-factor authentication, limiting sensitive information stored on phones, and using separate PINs for banking applications where available.

'Nothing... No One Even Moved'

Alongside the footage, Lenk described the emotional aftermath of the robbery through captions translated from Portuguese. 'I kept looking around, hoping someone would help. Nothing... no one even moved.'

She said one passing driver eventually stopped after noticing she was struggling. 'Then this kind man appeared and offered to help.' Lenk said the shock quickly became physical. 'My lips had gone pale. I was feeling unwell, and my blood pressure was dropping.'

The driver encouraged her to pull over near a Petz store because she was 'shaking so much' that she could barely continue driving. 'I panicked and could only focus on breathing properly and getting the car to a safe place to stop.' After parking, she said she broke down emotionally.

'As soon as I stopped, I got out of the car, but my legs gave way. I leaned against the car and burst into tears.' She added that the stranger hugged her and 'just kept trying to calm me down and telling me to breathe.'

Investigation Continues

Lenk said she ultimately chose to publish the footage in the hope that someone would recognise the suspects and assist investigators. She also expressed frustration over what she described as the limited likelihood of those responsible being held accountable but said making their faces public could help the investigation.

Police have not publicly announced any arrests, and the case remains under investigation. The incident also serves as a reminder that smartphone theft can quickly become a financial security issue, making swift action to secure devices, banking accounts, and personal data essential after a robbery.