Ontario man says he's out $3,000 after making simple e-Transfer mistake
An Ontario man says he's out $3,000 after he accidentally transferred money to the wrong person using his banking app.
Brampton man Percival Plummer said he was trying to transfer a roofer the next part of a deposit for work being done on his home when he made the error.
He said on June 2, he logged onto his Scotiabank app and tried to send the money to his roofer, whose name is Andre.
Without noticing, he said he clicked on someone else in his contact list with a nearly identical first name and transferred the money.
"I typed in 'Andre,' Plummer told CTV News Toronto. "I didn’t realize it was the other name that came up and I hit send."
A person is seen holding a phone in this photo. (File)
He said he didn't think anything of it until later that day when the roofer told him he didn't receive the money.
Plummer said when he checked the app, he realized his mistake straight away and went to his closest Scotiabank branch.
At the branch, Plummer said he was told the money could be retrieved, but he had to call the customer support line.
"I called them right away," he said. "And they said there is nothing they could do for me."
The recipient of the money was using a banking feature called auto-deposit, meaning when Plummer sent the money it went directly into the account without the person needing to answer a security question.
Plummer said he's also contacted Peel Police, but he was told because he was the one who transferred the money, there isn't anything to investigate.
In an email to CTV News Toronto, a Scotiabank spokesperson said they couldn't comment on Plummer's case specifically for privacy reasons, but did issue a warning to people sending money online.
"We encourage all customers to use caution and conduct proper due diligence when verifying and confirming electronic money transfers sent to other parties," Scotiabank said in a statement.
"(This includes) carefully reviewing notifications regarding auto deposit activated by the transaction recipient."
WHERE DID THE MONEY GO?
Plummer said his family has made multiple attempts to contact the person who was sent the $3,000, but they haven't received a response.
He said that while he doesn't know the recipient, he may have sent them money in the past through volunteer work at his church.
"I must have done some kind of transaction through church. I don't know the person," Plummer said.
Plummer, who has worked at a custodian for the Peel-Dufferin Catholic School Board for the past 17 years, said the situation has left him barely able to sleep.
He said he accepts that he made the mistake, but believes there should be a way for him to get his money back.
"I get upset every time I think about this," Plummer said. "I'm $3,000 out the window. That's more than I work for in a month."
"I need that money."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Budget 2024 'likely to be the worst' in decades, former BoC governor says
Without having seen it, former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge believes that Tuesday's 2024 federal budget from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is 'likely to be the worst budget' in decades.
What's at stake for Canada after Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel
Following the Iranian missile and drone strikes against Israel over the weekend, Canada should take the threat of Iran and potential escalation of the conflict seriously, one global affairs analyst says.
Former B.C. school trustee's 'strip-tease artist' remark was defamatory, judge rules
A controversial former school trustee from B.C.'s Fraser Valley who described a political rival as a "strip-tease artist" during an election campaign has been ordered to pay her $45,000 for defamation.
'A sense of urgency': Sask. man accused of abducting daughter calls himself to the stand during trial
Michael Gordon Jackson, the man on trial after being charged with contravention of a custody order for allegedly abducting his daughter in late 2021 to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, called himself to the stand Monday.
Kingston, Ont.'s Aaliyah Edwards drafted into WNBA
After four years at the University of Connecticut, Edwards was selected sixth overall by the Washington Mystics in the WNBA draft Monday night.
NASA confirms mystery object that crashed through roof of Florida home came from space station
NASA confirmed Monday that a mystery object that crashed through the roof of a Florida home last month was a chunk of space junk from equipment discarded at the International Space Station.
A knife attack in Australia against a bishop and a priest is being treated as terrorism, police say
Horrified worshippers watched online and in person as a bishop was stabbed at the altar during a church service in Sydney on Sunday evening.
Body of 14-year-old boy pulled from Lake Ontario, police say he drowned while swimming
The body of a 14-year-old boy has been pulled from Lake Ontario after police say he drowned while swimming near Ashbridges Bay Park on Sunday night.
'Rust' armourer gets 18 months in prison for fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin on set
A movie weapons supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of 'Rust.'