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A SENIOR claimed $15,000 vanished from her bank account within 30 minutes.
Carole Lemay’s money disappeared despite a bank branch worker reportedly telling her the funds were protected.
She dashed to her bank after receiving a call from a scammer purporting to be an Amazon Prime worker in September 2022, per CTV News.
Lemay, 75, said she suspected the call was dubious as she had never been a member of the subscription service.
The person on the other end of the line told her she needed to update her payment information.
Minutes after receiving the call, a Bank of Montreal worker handed her a new card and they changed her PIN.
“We met with the assistant manager and she said ‘Don’t worry your money is all there,’” Lemay said.
But she had been swindled out of $11,000 from her savings.
A second payment worth $4,000 was moved to her savings account before being withdrawn.
It emerged the money had been sent abroad.
Lemay returned to the bank but was told the payment couldn’t be stopped.
She claimed that workers did not flag any payments that looked suspicious.
She was apoplectic by the company’s response and stunned at the fact the money had vanished within 30 minutes of her previous visit to the branch.
“They said ‘Well, it’s a global transfer and we can’t stop it,’” she claimed.
“I said, ‘What do you mean you can’t stop it.’”
BMO chiefs launched a probe but seemed to blame the customer as she was accused of not protecting her details.
Lemay said her password was obscure and vowed she would never share it.
She revealed that she is no longer a BMO customer.
SCAM SIGNS
Lemay had been a member of the bank for decades.
“It’s extremely important to keep your information safe from fraudsters, and there are some simple practices that can help,” a spokesperson for the chain said.
The U.S. Sun has approached BMO for comment.
Banking giants have warned customers about the risks of scams.
They have also shared tips on how customers can avoid being victims of such scams.
Scammers can disguise cell phone numbers to make it look like calls are from the chain.
This is a tactic designed to lure victims into a false sense of security.
Scammers are also known for impersonating banks and federal agencies such as the IRS.
Banks have warned it’s incredibly difficult to recover money if payments have been authorized.
Top tips on avoiding scams:
As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important you know how to spot a scam and how to avoid them.
- Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
- Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions – be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you.
- Chase Bank warns customers to “never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first.”
- Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam.
- Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
- Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals.
- Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize.
Source: Chase.com
