Regina family out thousands after online banking fraud

Banks warn rushed holiday shoppers are more vulnerable to scams. One Regina family is trying to recover $5,000 lost to an online fraudster. Wayne Mantyka report

When Pamela Pridell received an email notification that money had been e-transferred from her family’s bank account, she initially believed it was a scam.

“I logged in and thought our account was fine,” Pridell said. “We’ve received spam emails like that before, so we didn’t think much of it.”

Days later, additional e-transfers were made, totalling about $5,000. The family went to their BMO branch, where all bank cards were cancelled and replaced.

The case was later reviewed by Canada’s Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments, which determined the Pridells were at fault for not immediately reporting the initial e-transfer notification.

“It’s hard because this is money my dad left me before he died, and some of that is gone,” Pridell said.

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Cybersecurity expert Robert Joza of RescueTECH says using an email address to log into websites can expose users to greater fraud risks.

“Those websites may have been compromised, and their databases hacked,” Joza said. “People often reuse the same passwords, which makes it easier for fraudsters once your information is on a list.”

Conexus Credit Union, which was not involved in the case, says online fraud tends to increase during the holiday shopping season.

Chief Risk and Compliance Officer Mark Millham said fraudsters often impersonate trusted organizations.

“We’re seeing scams where criminals pose as financial institutions or major streaming platforms, claiming payment information has expired and asking for credit card details,” Millham said.

The Pridell family is now working with RCMP to trace the stolen funds. Police say the e-transfers were sent to a digital bank account, and investigators are trying to determine where in the world the account is located.