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Case Studies

  • Understanding the terms and conditions of your financial agreements

    In January of 2014, Mr. G signed a Credit Agreement when he obtained a mortgage of $122,000 and a Line of Credit (LOC) of $39,600, both secured by a property he owned and planned to rent out. The monthly payments were $1,255 for his mortgage, which he had automatically debited from his bank account, and $43 for the LOC.

  • Small business debt

    Mr. A’s small business filed for bankruptcy in 2014 after several years of financial difficulties. At the time, there was a $15,000 balance on the company credit card. 

  • Chargebacks

    Ms. B and her friends attended a presentation for real estate investment opportunities in the Caribbean. The salesperson explained that the investment was for a condominium timeshare located on a desirable waterfront location frequented by tourists.

  • Shopping online

    Mr. H agreed to purchase a restaurant-size smoker from a private seller on Kijiji. He transferred $8,000 to the seller, via multiple authorized Interac e-Transfers. The seller had promised to ship the smoker to Mr. H upon receipt of the full payment.

  • Small business employee forged cheques

    Mr. C owned an automotive parts store where he employed an administrative assistant with responsibility for payroll, bank statement reconciliations, and other accounting functions. Over a period of four years, she embezzled $80,000 by writing company cheques to herself or fictitious third parties, depositing them into her personal account using her bank's automated bank machine (ABM).

  • Unsuitable investments did not financially harm investor

    Mrs. P had a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and several other accounts with her investment firm, but was a relatively unsophisticated investor. Her husband, on the other hand, did have a good understanding of investment concepts and strategy, and regularly traded stocks in a self-directed account.

  • Branch manager sold investment products not approved by firm

    OBSI received multiple complaints over a short period about an investment firm and Mr. V, an investment advisor and branch manager. The complainants had no connection to one another other than having Mr. V as their advisor.

  • Wire transfer instructions are precisely followed

    Mr. E held both Canadian and American-dollar denominated accounts at his bank. In March 2, he received a $26,000 USD wire transfer from a relative living abroad, made through Mr. E's bank's foreign subsidiary.

  • Giving your PIN to your son

    Health issues made movement challenging for Mr. A so he gave his eldest son his debit card and personal identification number (PIN) to make purchases on his behalf. Mr. A completed a joint power of attorney (POA) naming his two sons as his attorneys. Soon after, Mr. A's personal bank account was converted into a joint account with his eldest son.

  • Investor understood investments were not sanctioned by firm

    Mr. Y was approached about an investment opportunity by an advisor at his investment firm who was not the person he usually received advice from.


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