It’s a Chimed Life: Meet Iván Parrales, Fraud Investigation Manager

Iván Parrales was born and raised in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. “My parents were first-generation immigrants from Mexico and Ecuador, and we lived in a predominantly Puerto Rican part of the city,” he explains. “Growing up raised by two parents from different backgrounds and immersed in a culture where I was very different from my peers taught me to engage with and respect cultures different than my own from a very young age. It made me curious about the uniqueness of cultures and the human experience.”

That curiosity has fueled Iván’s interests, studies, and career ever since. He studied history and consumer anthropology, seeking to understand why we act the way we do and what we can learn from past events.

“An eye-opening moment for me was during my consumer anthropology minor when I started to think about what society says by what we spend our money on,” he says. “Learning more about the value people place on the products they buy and services they use tells a story about how we interact with our world. That knowledge provided me a solid foundation going into the fraud mitigation industry, an understanding of what we do, how we act, and how we transact.”

And although Iván never saw himself working in fintech — he pictured himself working in a museum or as a teacher — he loves that he gets to use the knowledge he acquired in an unexpected way.

Joining the tech industry — and growing with it

Ivn started his career with a short stint working in a museum (as he’d envisioned) but quickly realized he wanted to get into the tech world. “I saw a lot of new companies on the rise and wanted to try my hand at startups,” he says. “I saw tech as a great way to have a lot of impact and I was right — moving into the tech industry has taught me about being comfortable with the unknown, how to wear many hats, and has helped me build a unique skill set.” He was drawn to the idea that tech products are built to be used by customers — a connection he feels is especially strong at Chime.

“Our commitment to our members is one of the things that first drew me to Chime,” he says. “I took the leap and joined the company because it was an opportunity to grow with a fast-paced company and help establish our presence in Chicago. I’ve learned and worked on things I never imagined I’d do since then.”

One thing Iván has put a lot of work towards is building his team. When he started as a fraud investigator, there were just two others on his team. In the last two and a half years, Iván and the team have grown to over 13 investigators and he’s moved from Senior Investigator to being a Fraud Investigations Manager. His team’s mission is to provide a safe space for Chime members to transact and access their funds, protected from bad actors and educated so they don’t fall prey to predatory scams.

“Our team has really stepped up, learning more than we thought we would — like taking SQL courses and upleveling our analytics capabilities, having more direct impact on fraud rules at Chime, or implementing automation to proactively secure member accounts,” he says. “I’ve also learned a ton about strategy and goals, but also about the philosophy behind our work. I’ve learned to lean into empathy and how to better engage with our many cross-functional partners, as well as how to come at problems with a solution-oriented approach.”

The nature of fighting fraud and the value of leading with openness and a focus on the big picture

Working in fraud has inspired Iván, but it’s also challenged him through the years. “Due to the nature of fraud — as seasonal or all at once — being able to multitask and juggle multiple projects and priorities is a necessity,” he explains. “Tackling multiple projects keeps me sharp and reminds me of our efforts to help protect our members. It’s important to never lose sight of our goal.”

Although prioritization has been a challenge, it’s also become a skill Iván relies on daily. He strives to have empathy for other cross-functional teams, understand how to evaluate priorities effectively and within limitations, and, ultimately, mitigate risk without being overly aggressive.

As he’s grown in his own skills, Iván has helped grow the Fraud Investigations team, becoming a people manager and team leader. Throughout, he’s worked to be accessible to his team and allow space for those beyond the limits of his reports to come to him for help or support. “I want everyone I work with to feel like they can bring themselves, their ideas, and their concerns to me,” he says.

With his team, Iván helps them prioritize by taking a step back and looking at the big picture of their work. “I like to approach complex scenarios in a calculated and structured way, and I help my team do that by zooming out and providing additional context or perspective that can be helpful,” he says. “In our line of work, sometimes the challenges we face can feel like puzzles — we don’t always know exactly what’s happening. We have to build complete stories based on evidence to find our course of action.” It’s that part of his work that Iván loves the most: keeping his and his team’s minds agile and fresh to solve puzzles, being able to absorb new inputs, and being proactive to protect members.

“The fraud industry is ever-changing, so we have to keep up with trends and stay ahead of bad actors,” he says. “We’re always learning and solving even more complex puzzles.”

Connection and further growth for Chime in Chicago

Iván looks forward to coming together with colleagues in Chime’s new Chicago office and working more closely with the folks he’s known for years in a remote environment. “It’s going to be great to experience our company culture in a more tangible way and the energy and excitement around our new office is palpable,” he says. “Our team is energetic and curious, so coming together will help us all get to know each other better.”

From his childhood in Humboldt Park to working at one of fintech’s fastest-growing companies, Ivn can’t help but look to the future: “I’m excited to hear Chime mentioned in regular conversation with Chicagoans,” he says. “I’ve loved seeing the investment in Chicago as a hub for technology. I can’t wait to see how Chime grows and evolves with Chicago as we enter this next chapter!”