Case Studies - Banking

Before signing a mortgage  agreement, consumers should take the time to read through their mortgage documents.

A few weeks before the maturity date, he met with a mortgage specialist at Bank B and decided to transfer his mortgage to Bank B when it matured.

Everyone is a potential victim of fraud and should take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones. Every day, fraudsters target consumers with elaborate scams that exploit familiar technology such as text and email.

Banks will not restrict a person’s access to their own money and credit until they have the required legal documentation to transfer control to someone else. It is important for everyone, but especially seniors, to plan ahead for how their finances will be taken care of if they need help.

In September 2004, Mr. D returned to school with the intention to complete his studies by April 2005. Like many post-secondary students, Mr. D needed help to pay for his education, and in 2004, he took on both federal and provincial student loans through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).

In early 2017, Mr. W returned from his yearly vacation. He was always diligent about checking his account activity. When he went online to review his vacation spending, he noticed three transactions for around $4,000 for cheques that he had not written.

One day in 2017, Mr. R’s computer froze. A warning appeared on the screen and a message from what appeared to be a reputable company was displayed. It warned Mr. R that a virus had infected his computer and provided him with a number to call. He called and spoke to a representative who recommended an antivirus software to correct the issues. Mr. R agreed to buy the software for $400.

An elderly woman, Ms. W, had a grandson living overseas.

Mr. T had recently converted his personal chequing account to a joint account with his girlfriend, subject to a right of survivorship. At the time, the account had a $15,000 balance. 

Mr. F had held his credit card, and a number of other products, with the bank for over 25 years. In early 2018, he noticed he had not received his credit card statement in the mail. He called the bank. He asked about the missing statement.