Ont. woman warns others after losing more than $17,000 to 'bank investigator' scam
An Ontario woman who worked at the Bank of Montreal (BMO) for decades is warning others to be aware of the “bank investigator” scam after she lost more than $17,000.
“They called me and said, ‘This is BMO security department’ and they knew my name,” Scarborough resident Angela Feng told CTV News Toronto.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Feng said it was last April when she got the call from a person who claimed there was suspicious activity on her account. He said he needed her to confirm her bank card number, which she gave to him, Fend said.
“He said there were suspicious transactions going through and they were going to stop it,” Feng explained.
However, once she gave him the bank card number within the hour there were three e-transfers for smaller amounts and one wire transfer of $14,000.
In total, Feng said, she had $17,382 taken from her account.
Feng said after she got the call she immediately went to her bank branch and spent about three hours with bank staff informing them of what happened.
BMO refused to refund the money back to Feng’s account because they said she had failed to protect her banking information and gave the scammers a passcode, she said.
A BMO spokesperson told CTV News Toronto in a statement: “This is an unfortunate situation, and we have been in touch with our customer to provide an update on our review.”
“When a customer requests a One-time Passcode (OTP), it is accompanied by the following disclosure: ‘Warning: This Code grants access to your accounts. Calls to request it may be a scam. If called, hang up and call the # on BMO card,’” the bank said.
Feng was a BMO employee for 40 years and was hopeful her money would be returned. She took her case to the Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBSI), but in a review of her case OBSI sided with BMO and said she did not deserve compensation because she compromised her bank account.
The bank investigator scam has also taken place in Ottawa where there are more victims.
“I don't think they are being fair with me, I worked for the bank for 40 years," Feng said.
Claudiu Popa is a cyber security expert and said banks have a tarnished reputation because of the way they deal with customers who have been victims of scams.
“What's clear to me is there is a need for reform in the way banks are dealing with these different types of scams," Popa said.
Popa also said he feels banks should do more to protect their clients.
“Customers should have a right to automatic reimbursement if they report the fraud on the same day," he said.
Feng said she went to her branch within one hour of getting the scam call and still feels she deserves her money back. Feng said her husband has serious health issues and she needs the money to look after him.
“I'm not giving up because it's too much money. I don't want to lie down and play dead. I want them to give me my money back,” said Feng.
Popa said you should be suspicious of any phone call if the person says they're with your bank, the police or the tax department. Never give out your personal information, hang up and call back at a number you find yourself.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.