Cyber Tales
Cyber Tales: The Hijacked Wellness Studio
BOXX Client Profile: Chelsea Lagimodiere
Owner of a thriving wellness studio
The Attack: A Lockout and a Threat
Places, industries, and names have been changed to preserve client privacy.
Chelsea Lagimodiere has built Taanishi Wellness Studio into a thriving business in Winnipeg, thanks to her consistent presence on Meta’s social media platforms. With over 10,000 followers on Instagram, Chelsea relies on social media to advertise her yoga classes, promote custom dietary plans, and engage with her community. Unlike many businesses, she didn’t see the need for a website—Meta was her primary hub, and it had always been enough. Until it wasn’t.
It was late December when Chelsea logged into Instagram, eager to promote her New Year specials. But this time, she couldn’t get in. Assuming it was a glitch, she decided to follow up the next morning. When she woke up, was greeted with an alarming email: hackers had taken over her social media accounts and were demanding $10,000 to restore access. If she didn’t comply within three days, they threatened to start deleting her followers—undoing years of hard work and connection with her audience. Chelsea was horrified.
“I felt so violated. Instagram isn’t just a marketing platform for me. It’s where I connect with people. I worked hard to build my brand. I sell my products and promote classes, but I also share photos of my family. I met my Instagram. He slid into my DMs ten years ago and now these creeps had access to our first conversations. I was so panicked.”
Chelsea’s first move was to contact Meta’s support. Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that she wouldn’t get a response from a real person before the hackers carried out their threat.
“I was just about ready to throw in the towel and wallow in a chorus of ‘why me’s,’ when my husband reminded me of two things. First, my habit of using the same password for everything probably had a lot to do with this mess. Second—and far more importantly—we had cyber insurance through BOXX.”
The Response: BOXX Hackbusters Step In
Chelsea reached out to BOXX Insurance, unsure if her Cyberboxx Business insurance would cover this kind of situation. She was pleasantly surprised when the BOXX Hackbusters Team immediately took action. Neal Jardine, BOXX Global Director of Cyber Risk Intelligence & Claims explains,
“We needed to buy some time. We advised Chelsea to try to negotiate a lower demand from the hackers while we got to work recovering her accounts. Most people don’t realize they’re not getting through to an actual person when they report hacked accounts. We know the right channels, but it still takes some time.”
Chelsea responded to the ransom email, pleading for an extended deadline.
“It all felt unreal. I was practically begging these faceless people who were holding my whole world hostage—it was honestly terrible. And I wasn’t just putting on a show. If BOXX didn’t come through, I was seriously thinking about borrowing money from my parents. Even if I managed to get a loan, I’d still need more time. Between the holidays and the limits on my bank account, there was just no way I could meet their demands.”
While Chelsea continued negotiating with the hackers, BOXX’s cybersecurity experts quickly went to work. Leveraging years of experience and knowing the exact language to get a faster response, they managed to skip the usual, drawn-out support process. They reached out directly to key contacts, escalating the case to those with the authority and skills to make a real impact. By day three, Chelsea’s accounts were fully recovered, restoring her access and control over her social media presence. What could have been a prolonged struggle was resolved swiftly, thanks to the team’s expertise and connections.
The Outcome: Recovered and Reassured
A quick intervention and teamwork saved the day. Chelsea regained her accounts without paying a cent to the hackers.
“Neal and the Hackbusters team were amazing—super professional. They didn’t make me feel stupid about my embarrassingly bad cybersecurity. Instead, they offered me a free consultation on password hygiene. After everything I’d been through, I really appreciated their no-judgement approach.”
Today, Chelsea continues to promote her business on Instagram, but with a stronger set of security practices.
“These days, I’m practically a password security evangelist. I know a lot of small business owners, and I share my story whenever I get the chance—it’s even become my go-to icebreaker at networking events. I hope I never need BOXX’s help again, but I recommend them to everyone I know.”
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