We had a scare!

My husband of 52 years checks our bank balance and my credit card purchases every day.  I think it's a little weird.  On Canadian Thanksgiving Monday we were "locked" out of our online banking.  On Tuesday morning I tried again and we still couldn't get on.  There was a 1-800 number to call but being cautions we walked over to our branch and talked to the teller.  She called Royal Bank Security who asked if we wire transferred $3,750.00 on Monday.  We didn't and thank you RBC Security for freezing our account and not transferring the money.  We change our user name, passwords and security questions. 

Yesterday morning when Cec checked our accounts he said "someone transferred $8,000.00 into my checking account"!  I said, it's obviously a bank error and went upstairs.  In checking his account on Monday someone transferred $2,000.00 out and there was a $13.50 service charge.  We called the number on the back of the debit card.  The $8,000 was taken out of our savings account and put in his chequing account.  The bank transferred the $8,000.00 back into the savings account.  He secured our savings account so any transfers must be done in person. 

Our call was transferred to RBC Security when they asked us the normal questions.   We never answer an email text or give out our information.  No one has accessed our computers.  We use secured computers and I do not have the bank app on my mobile phone.   I never use my debit card.  We told him our user names and security questions were just changed, at the branch on October 15th.  He traced the $2,000.00 wire transfer and it went to Istanbul, Turkey.  We don't know anyone in Istanbul and no, we didn't transfer it.  He asked how long we dealt with the Royal Bank.  We couldn't remember the year but it was in the late 60's when we got married.  We've had accounts in Vancouver, No. 3 Road and in Steveston.  With the changes in banking, our accounts are still in Steveston but we deal at the branch close to us.   We are long time customers of the Royal Bank.

The great guy at RBC Security came back and said "it was accessed through your Shaw account".  We've paid our Shaw bill by bank debit for years!  I have no idea how they know this, but I assume it's happened to others.  So if anyone else has their Shaw Cable bill debited out of their chequing account, change it immediately!  Our accounts are frozen and our computer is going into Microsoft at Metrotown tomorrow to make sure there is no virus's or malware.  We did all the scans and security updates in mid-October. 

RBC said the $2,000 will be put back in our account in about ten days.  I assume they were going to transfer the $8,000 out yesterday. 

I will never complain about my husband checking our bank accounts daily.   On Friday while checking our accounts he said, "I just paid your Master Card and it's already $480.00".  "What have you been doing?"  I said, "I paid Sirius radio, went to Costco and the liquor store.  Get a grip!"  He laughed.  I'm glad he also watches my credit cards as they have been compromised before.  I thought he was just being a pain!  Boy, was I wrong.

I remember the days when pay day came and I was happy I wasn't in my overdraft!  Now I need to worry about this!