CORNWALL, Ontario – A man with accounts at the Royal Bank in Cornwall alleges a fraudster was able to fool officials over the phone into releasing access to his finances despite providing false answers to security questions.
CBC News reported Thursday that Glen Langburt has turned over documentation to Cornwall police concerning the activities of an individual who was able to order cheques and change the addresses connected with his accounts.
Langburt told the broadcaster he lives in Hampstead, Que., a Montreal suburb, but actually banks at the RBC facility in Cornwall.
“I’ve been a Royal Bank customer for 45 years now,” he told the CBC. “The bank has been very, very great – my branch in Cornwall. However they’re stuck. Their own security has now blocked them. I’m only able to deal with the manager at that branch. No one else. I can’t change anything.”
Cornwall police const. Dan Cloutier was not able to confirm Langburt’s assertion that he had filed a complaint with the service.
Cloutier said confirmation would only come if an individual is charged. But he did add police forces are obligated to investigate if a complaint if filed.
“If a fraud took place in Cornwall, we would have to investigate,” he said.
Langburt told CBC Daybreak that he first learned of the alleged identity theft in mid-March after debit and credit cards had been frozen.
CBC also reported Langburt was able to get a transcript of the phone call, and recounted some of the call details to Daybreak host Mike Finnerty in a broadcast that can be found here.
Langburt alleged the caller got questions about his birth year, banking products and regular deposits wrong.
“I’m trying to protect other people from this happening,” Langburt told Finnerty.
The bank has apologized to Langburt.
Langburt could not be immediately reached for comment.
