A San Antonio military veteran says more than $13,000 disappeared from his Public.com investing account in a matter of hours early Monday, after a wave of trades he insists he never made started firing off before he could get the account frozen.
Angel Morales told local reporters he first spotted an unfamiliar desktop login on his Public.com account a little before 7 a.m., followed by a rush of strange transactions. By the time he sounded the alarm, he says, dozens of trades had already gone through, and his balance was thousands of dollars lighter.
According to KENS 5, Morales’ activity log showed an unauthorized desktop login just before 7 a.m. He said roughly 30 trades hit at first and that more than 50 unauthorized transactions ultimately posted before a human representative at Public.com froze the account at 10:17 a.m.
Morales told the station he emailed Public.com at 9:03 a.m. An automated reply from the company’s support bot acknowledged his ticket at 9:19 a.m., but Morales said Public did not make him whole for the losses. In email exchanges cited by the station, a Public representative told him whoever got into the account used his own credentials and that the company was not responsible.
Public lists [email protected] as a contact and describes Public Investing as a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and SIPC member. Those pages are presented as the official channels for flagging suspicious logins, asking for an account freeze, and requesting a formal investigation.
What To Do If Your Investing Account Is Compromised
If your brokerage account suddenly shows logins or trades you do not recognize, act fast. Contact your brokerage’s support team immediately, change your password, turn on two-factor authentication, and, if the option exists, request an account freeze.
Save screenshots of everything and keep all emails. Let any linked bank or card issuer know there may be fraud and ask to open a claim. You can also file reports with federal authorities through the Federal Trade Commission or at IdentityTheft.gov.
Regulatory Protections And Next Steps
Federal rules on electronic fund transfers set strict timelines and investigation requirements for handling unauthorized transactions. The FDIC explains how Regulation E can affect whether and how quickly victims are reimbursed.
If you think your brokerage or bank did not follow those rules or failed to investigate properly, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your state financial regulator. Keep a detailed log of dates, times, transaction confirmations, and every piece of correspondence in case you need to escalate.
Morales told KENS 5 he hopes his ordeal convinces other app-based investors to keep a close eye on their accounts and tighten security settings. Local users of trading apps say the scare is a blunt reminder that watching activity closely and reporting problems quickly can be the difference between a blocked login and a very expensive morning.
