Ontario student warns about losing debit card after $14,000 lands on RBC account
An Ontario student is warning people of the risk that comes with failing to report a lost debit card after $14,000 in fraudulent deposits landed in her RBC account.
College student Frances Ward said her bank card went missing last fall and she never noticed the activity because she mostly uses her phone to do mobile payments.
But someone used her bank card to deposit fake cheques, with the first one being for about $2,000.
Frances's mother Marilyn Ward also has her name on the account because she set it up with Frances.
Marilyn said the account does not have overdraft, so the fraudulent cheques should never have been allowed to be cashed, putting the account into a negative balance.
"I don't know why it was allowed to happen. The account does not have overdraft on it, so the first cheque went through and into overdraft and at the time it should have been stopped," said Marilyn.
Over a week in September 2021, a series of fake cheques were cashed totaling about $13,000, which with interest, the bank said, left them owing more than $14,000.
The Wards, who are customers with RBC, said the bank conducted an investigation into the cheques, but determined they would have to repay the money.
After CTV News Toronto contacted RBC, the Wards said they received a call from the bank saying they would no longer have to repay the funds.
According to the Wards, RBC initially said the debit card was not reported missing, and whoever had the card had to have known the secret access code.
"They basically said you are responsible for the missing money because they said, 'It is your card and your PIN (Personal Identification Number)," Frances said.
Frances said she doesn't know how anyone could have known her PIN.
"I didn't have it written down and it wasn’t my birthday," said Frances.
RBC then told the Wards in a letter that they would have to reimburse the bank the amount of the fake cheques, plus interest, totaling $14,071.
The Wards said they feel the bank should not have allowed the cheques to be cashed, and said they shouldn't be held accountable for the fraud.
"This is not money we have taken from the bank and we should not be held responsible," Frances said.
When CTV News reached out to RBC, Edith Galinaitis, Director of Communications with RBC, said, "We review client complaints regarding unauthorized transactions on a case-by-case basis. We also remind clients of the importance of protecting their PIN and client card and provide guidance on how to do that."
"In all instances, we work with the client throughout the process and keep them informed, as we did in this case," Galinaitis said. "We have shared our findings on this matter with our client, and explained the reasons for our decision, based on a careful review of the relevant facts."
It's not clear why the bank reversed its decision to ask the Wards to repay the funds.
"I'm so happy that this has been cleared up," Marilyn said, "as it has been going on over nine or 10 months. It is such a relief."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'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.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.