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
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.