Woman left Nigeria for Dubai to hustle, returned to find her ₦3m gone — what to do if money disappears from your bank account

• A Nigerian woman who travelled to Dubai to hustle says she returned to discover that ₦3 million saved in her bank account had disappeared.

• She says the bank told her the matter was under investigation and later provided beneficiary details for a police report.

• If money suddenly disappears from your bank account, here are the 10 steps to take immediately, including securing your account, gathering evidence, reporting the transaction and escalating the complaint to the CBN.

A woman who left Nigeria for Dubai to hustle for more money has returned home to a frightening discovery. The ₦3 million she believed was safely sitting in her Nigerian bank account was gone.

In a video shared online, she said she had been saving money in her bank account from 2022 and continued doing so into 2023. She eventually travelled to Dubai, leaving the money in her account.

According to her, she later began contacting the bank to ask whether her money was safe. She said she provided documents the bank requested, including a utility bill, and was assured there were no ongoing transactions on the account.

But she said that from October 2025, money began leaving the account. By the time she returned and investigated the matter, she claimed that the withdrawals had taken almost everything, leaving her with nothing from the ₦3 million she had saved.

She said the bank told her the matter was under investigation and later gave her a beneficiary's details, which she was advised to report to the police.

Her story, however, raises a crucial question: how should you handle the sudden loss of funds from your bank account?

Whether it is ₦10,000, ₦100,000 or several million naira, don't panic and don't assume the money is gone forever.

Here is a step-by-step guide you can follow to recover your money

If you check your bank account and discover money you did not withdraw or transfer is missing, act immediately. Follow these steps:

Confirm that the missing money was actually debited. Look for unfamiliar transfers, ATM withdrawals, POS payments, card transactions, USSD transactions or other deductions.

Don't rely on a screenshot showing only your current balance. Request a statement covering the period when the money disappeared. Note the date, amount, transaction reference, beneficiary and transaction channel for every suspicious transaction.

Use the bank's official app, phone number, email or branch. Report the transaction as unauthorised and ask the bank to secure your account and affected channels to prevent further losses.

When filing a complaint, do not depend only on a telephone conversation. Make a formal complaint to your bank in writing.

Your complaint should therefore contain:

• your full name, 

• account number, 

• phone number, 

• email address, 

• the amount disputed, 

• the date or period when the transactions occurred, 

• the transaction references, 

• a brief explanation of why you believe the transactions were unauthorised, 

• copies of relevant evidence 

• and what you want the bank to do.

For example, you can request that the bank investigate the transactions, provide the relevant transaction details and take steps to recover the disputed funds where appropriate.

READ ALSO: How to block your Access bank account and ATM card

Don't settle for “we are investigating it.” Ask for a complaint or tracking number and keep it. You will need it for follow-ups and possible escalation.

Save bank statements, emails sent to the bank, replies from the bank, screenshots of disputed transactions, complaint acknowledgement, transaction reference numbers, names or details of beneficiaries, any correspondence with the recipient bank, police reports, if one is made, and any documents the bank asks you to submit.

Keep everything in one folder. If possible, keep both electronic and physical copies.

Ask the bank how the transaction was carried out, which channel was used and, where available, the beneficiary or receiving bank details. Don't confront the recipient yourself.

If you believe the money was stolen or your account was compromised, take your evidence and the bank's complaint details to the Nigeria Police Force for investigation.

If the bank fails to resolve your complaint within the applicable timeframe, you can escalate it to the Central Bank of Nigeria's Consumer Protection Department. The CBN requires customers to first complain to their bank before escalating the matter.

ALSO READ: You can sue your Nigerian bank when they do these 5 things

Never give anyone your PIN, password, OTP, token or full card details because they claim they can recover your money. Use only official bank and government channels.

Most importantly, don't wait. The sooner you report an unauthorised transaction, secure your account and preserve evidence, the better positioned you are to pursue recovery.

READ MORE: 6 Signs Your Bank Account Is About to Be Phished

If you suddenly discover that money has disappeared from your account, this is the basic document checklist to start with:

• Valid means of identification

• Bank account number

• Detailed bank statement

• Transaction alerts

• Screenshots of disputed transactions

• Transaction/reference numbers

• Names and details of beneficiaries, where available

• Copies of emails sent to the bank

• Copies of the bank's responses

• Bank complaint/reference number

• Police report, where applicable

• Any document requested by the bank

• CBN complaint/reference number, if escalated

READ MORE: 7 Simple steps to avoid costly financial mistakes in Nigeria

Do not submit original documents unless an authorised institution specifically requires them and you understand the process. Keep copies of everything.

If your money disappears from your bank account, start building a record immediately. The statement, transaction references, complaint number and correspondence you preserve today could become some of the most important evidence you have tomorrow.