Ontario man who accidentally transferred $19,000 to stranger's account left for weeks without solution
An Ontario man says he has been fighting to get back $19,000 for months after making a "simple mistake” while trying to transfer money between two of his bank accounts.
Milton, Ont. man Roberto Guardado said he had just purchased a new home and in September was trying to transfer money from his Bank of Montreal (BMO) account to his CIBC account so that he could make the down payment.
He said he called BMO to arrange the wire transfer, figuring it would be the easiest way to move the funds to CIBC.
Guardado said he has two bank accounts with CIBC, one for his personal savings and one for business. He was trying to transfer the money into the savings account.
He said while making the transfer, he correctly read out his CIBC savings account number, but mistakenly gave the transit number of his CIBC business account.
The five-digit transit number helps the bank identify which branch the money is being sent to.
The mistake resulted in Guardado's money being sent to a stranger's CIBC account, he said.
"I noticed the money went out but it didn't go into my CIBC account," Guardado told CTV News Toronto. "So I went home that day and I started looking on my computer and then I realized I gave the wrong transit number."
He said he immediately called BMO, who told him they would launch an investigation.
Despite calling the bank every few days for an update, he said it took five weeks before he got any answers.
Guardado said he was told that his $19,000 was deposited into someone else's account and the person had withdrawn it.
He said both BMO and CIBC told him nothing further could be done to retrieve his money.
"I couldn't believe I made the mistake," Guardado said.
Guardado said he called the police, but was also told that because he initiated the transfer there was nothing to investigate.
A Bank of Montreal sign is pictured in North Vancouver, B.C. Tuesday, April, 2, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
"The police told me that because it's not considered fraud they can't do anything about it," he said.
'JUST A SIMPLE MISTAKE'
Guardado said that while he fully admits the error was his fault, he doesn't understand why the bank couldn't help him quickly reverse the transfer.
"It was just a simple mistake and my money ended in someone else's account," Guardado said.
Because of the lost money, Guardado said he had no choice but to back out of the sale of his new home.
Shortly after CTV News Toronto contacted CIBC and BMO about Guardado's situation, he said he received a call from the banks telling him his $19,000 would be returned to his account.
CIBC spokesperson Trish Tervit confirmed on Saturday they had resolved the issue with Guardado.
"It's important that when transferring funds between financial institutions that the sender ensures the recipient account number is correct as misdirected funds may be difficult to recover," Tervit added.
Guardado said CIBC told him this is a "unique situation" that is being resolved on a one-time basis.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from BMO said they had a "good conversation" with Guardado, but couldn't comment further for privacy reasons.
While this stressful two-month chapter is now over for Guardado, he said banks "have to come up with a better system" for when people make mistakes.
"It was a stupid mistake on my part, but the process to fix it has to be easier," he said. "I was so stressed that I lost weight and I couldn't sleep. It was bothering me so much."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.