A Timmins woman who lost $10,000 in a scam is sharing her story. In June, Jessica Fraser got a call from someone claiming to be a TD Bank employee. He said that her account had been compromised and she needed to safeguard her money and e-transfer it to another account. “I needed to take the funds out of my account, or they would be frozen,” said Fraser. “I was going on a planned vacation the next day, and I went immediately into a panic.” The caller guided Fraser on how to transfer her money by logging into her mobile banking app and sending herself $3,000 through a text message link. She said she was then transferred to a TD Easyline employee to increase her e-transfer limit. “I’ve gotten a written copy of where I clearly identified fraud, and the agent proceeded with the call per normal, increasing my limits and doing everything, so further making me think I was talking to the bank,” said Fraser. Call was disconnected During that conversation with TD, she was disconnected, but her transfer limit was still increased. Fraser said she questions why the bank didn’t call her back. “The fraudster came back on, and I remember saying to the fraudster, ‘You cut him off,’ and one of the statements TD has-and I have it recorded is they will make every effort to call back their customers,” said Fraser. “Nobody called me back and the statement that was given to me by the fraud department was, ‘We don’t call back customers that drop calls and hang up on us.’” She said the call dropped – she didn’t hang up – and her limit was still increased after the call was disconnected. In all, Fraser transferred and lost a total of $10,000. Since then, she said TD Bank has been of no help to her. “I think they failed in doing their due diligence for me as their customer and protecting me,” said Fraser. “I made a poor decision in the heat of the moment, in a call that I should have recognized some things, but ultimately I spoke to a bank employee and said there’s fraud.” CTV News contacted TD Bank for an interview. It responded with an email. “While we are unable to share specific details regarding individual investigations due to privacy obligations, I can confirm this case was reviewed thoroughly via appropriate internal channels at the bank and the matter was assessed objectively and in accordance with our policies and procedures,” said Sarah Miller, a fraud analyst for TD Bank. Fraser said she immediately reported the crime to the Timmins Police Service. Timmins police wouldn’t provide an interview to CTV News, but said a 54-year-old woman from Montreal has been charged with fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and said there is a warrant out for her arrest. Fraser said the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments is now reviewing her case. She said it could recommend that TD Bank compensate her for her loss, but it’s ultimately up to the bank. The Ombudsman for Banking Services makes its and the financial institution’s final decisions public.
