Ontario woman warns about choosing credit card PIN after RBC refuses to refund $8,772
An Ontario woman is warning people about what they choose as their credit card PIN after she said RBC refused to refund nearly $9,000 in fraudulent charges.
Ajax woman Rosina Ego-Aguirre said she went to downtown Toronto with a friend to visit Ripley's Aquarium in early April. Before getting to the aquarium, Ego-Aguirre said, she stopped for coffee, and at some point her wallet was taken out of her purse.
She said she had five cards inside her wallet, including three from RBC, one from BMO and one from Tangerine.
The 70-year-old said within two hours of her wallet being stolen, more than $20,000 in fraudulent purchases had been made on her various cards, including $9,242 through her RBC cards.
"I got a voice message from RBC telling me that there was unusual activity on my credit card," Ego-Aguirre told CTV News Toronto.
Ego-Aguirre said she called RBC back immediately to discuss the transactions, but waited on hold for more than 40 minutes without answer. Still downtown, she decided to go to the nearest branch to have her cards blocked.
She said she waited more than two hours for the branch to get a hold of RBC's fraud department. Ego-Aguirre said she was eventually given a provisional client card to use and was told RBC would follow up with her in the coming days.
"When I was dealing with the fraud department, the lady asked me questions about my PIN," she said.
Ego-Aguirre said she was asked by RBC if she used a PIN that was associated with her birthday.
"I said, 'Yes.' I was honest, I wasn't going to lie,” she said. "Then they told me they couldn't refund anything because it was my fault."
According to Ego-Aguirre, RBC will only refund her $470 in charges that were processed using tap. She says $8,772 in transactions completed by the thieves using a PIN won't be refunded because her numbers were not secure enough.
Ego-Aguirre said both BMO and Tangerine, where she uses a similar PIN, refunded the full amount within days.
"The manner in which I was treated by RBC during this experience has added to the trauma of being a victim of crime, and has further elicited strong feelings of deception, rejection, betrayal and pain," she said.
Ego-Aguirre said she has been using that PIN for more than 20 years, and has been a client with RBC for more than 43 years.
"My husband and I both are retired. We're senior citizens, and we live on a pension. What they are trying to withhold from me is basically a year's pension," she said. "In my household, every penny counts."
In a statement to CTV News Toronto, RBC said "in all instances (of fraud), we work with the client throughout the process and keep them informed, as we are continuing to do so in this case."
"Clients should choose a PIN they can easily remember, but avoid numbers and letters that others might guess, such as your birth date, phone number or address."
The bank said they would not comment any further about Ego-Aguirre's situation because of privacy concerns.
"I feel that I have been let down by the institution I trusted for the past 43 years," Ego-Aguirre said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.