Only in Canada Only in Canada
Related Articles
**Unmasking the Grandparent Scam: How One Family’s Battle with RBC Reveals an Urgent Need for Awareness**
In a startling tale of intrigue and heartache, Patrick Winter, the son of a Toronto senior, shed light on a tragic incident where his mother became a victim of the infamous “grandparent scam.” This cruel and calculated crime left her $8,000 poorer, but Winter insists that there’s more to this story than just a financial loss. He believes RBC, the bank at the heart of this episode, should have seen the warning signs and taken action to prevent the withdrawal.
Winter’s passionate stance on this issue is clear when he asserts, “The branch staff are totally not equipped to recognize these [scams] and it doesn’t take a genius, some fraud defense genius, to follow the pattern.” He’s got a point; one would expect banks to be a fortress of financial security, but in this tale, that wasn’t the case.
The scam unfolded on August 1 when Winter’s mother received a call from a cunning impostor pretending to be her own grandson. The details of the fake emergency, from a car accident to the sudden discovery of drugs, mirrored an incident reported by CTV News Toronto back in December of the previous year. The similarity is uncanny and begs the question: How could the bank staff not see the glaring red flags?
When Winter’s mother arrived at the bank to withdraw the funds, the teller did, in fact, ask her three security questions before granting the request. However, the scammers had coached her to lie about the reason for the withdrawal—a common tactic in this type of scam. Sadly, the funds were released.
After the incident came to light, Winter and his sisters informed their mother of the scam and reported it to the police. The emotional aftermath left his mother feeling ashamed, a reaction that many victims of scams can relate to. Winter says, “My mother is, you know, she feels shame. When you walk back how the scam occurred, and it seems a very common reaction, people realize, like, you know, how could I be so stupid?”
In response to the incident, Winter submitted a complaint to the bank on his mother’s behalf. He requested the return of the money and a review and enhancement of the bank’s fraud prevention measures. RBC pledged to investigate and see if their procedures were followed during the August 1 transaction. Winter, however, remains skeptical about the effectiveness of their procedures, saying, “Your procedures are useless, you’re going to come back and say, Yes, we did.”
RBC declined to return the funds and, according to Winter, “totally ignored” his request to improve their fraud prevention measures. This, he argues, is the most critical aspect of the complaint. The bank’s alleged reluctance to acknowledge its shortcomings in fraud detection leaves an unsettling gap in the financial security of its customers.
In response to the matter, RBC sent an email to CTV News Toronto stating that they neither confirmed nor rejected Winter’s account but mentioned that they had conducted a “detailed and careful investigation.” They emphasized that they have multiple fraud prevention measures in place, including resources aimed at educating seniors about cyber scams.
Winter’s perspective is that a simple addition, such as a piece of paper at the branch outlining the common elements of scams, would have prompted victims to think twice. He emphasizes that fraudsters manipulate the vulnerability of seniors, citing a 2017 study that highlights the susceptibility of older adults to scams.
In light of the perceived need for additional safeguards, Winter is considering taking his complaint to the ADR Chambers Banking Ombuds Office (ADRBO).
The grandparent scam continues to plague seniors in Ontario, with over $5.4 million lost to it in 2022, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC). In response, the police have issued crucial advice, urging individuals not to withdraw money following frantic telephone calls, not to confirm personal information over the phone, and to contact family members or the authorities for clarification.
In the battle against these ruthless scams, the need for heightened awareness and concrete action cannot be overstated. Patrick Winter’s quest for justice and improved safeguards at RBC serves as a poignant reminder that no one is immune to the dangers lurking in the shadows of the financial world.
