A fraudster easily managed to modify the personal information contained in a TD Bank customer’s account by pretending to be him over the phone, an “unacceptable” situation, according to the victim, who denies his financial institution’s security gaps.
“It’s getting hard to protect yourself from fraud!” thunders Simon Bendahan, Montreal tourist guide and TD customer for several years.
In early 2022, Mr Bendahan was the victim of fraud, after a credit card in his name was delivered to the wrong address. “It took three calls before the bank realized the card was active and used in Ottawa,” he recalls.
Portrait of Simon Bendahan, who has problems with TD Bank, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Monday August 12, 2024. In this photo: Simon Bendahan MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCY QMI
QMI Photo Agency, MARIO BEAUREGARD
After this sad event, security measures were put in place to secure the tourist guide’s account. Passwords have been added, as well as a secret question to add to each transaction.
Unfortunately these efforts did not bear fruit. When he finally went to the bank to collect his new credit card a few weeks later, Simon Bendahan found out over the phone that the address on his account had been changed… the day after his account was confirmed.
He was also able to observe a certain laxity in the implementation of security measures by TD. “At the counter, I had to remind the employee that he had to ask me for a secret phrase,” he says angrily.
Consequences
At the end of its investigation, the bank concluded that Mr. Bendahan was not the originator of the transactions made with the card sent to the wrong address, and that the bank did not have to pay for the fraudulent transactions.
The Montrealer regrets, however, that he had to spend hours on the phone and at the bank counter to resolve his file, and above all that TD refuses to disclose the content of the fraudulent call that led to the change of address him. account.
Joel Lemay / QMI Agency
“I need to know what was said to better protect myself,” said the person who is also demanding compensation of $150,000. “I want to know what the fraudster knows about me.”
TD is “sorry”.
For its part, TD maintains that it cannot provide access to the transcript of the decisive call, under its confidentiality policy. In addition, she offered $1,000 in compensation to Mr. Bendahan, which she considers reasonable since “the situation was quickly rectified” and the client suffered no financial losses.
In an email to JournalTD said he was “sorry” about Mr Bendahan’s experience. “However, we conducted a thorough investigation, resolved the incident and communicated details directly to the customer,” he said.