A Sudbury, Ontario couple says they lost more than $90,000 after fraudsters gained access to their Scotiabank personal and business accounts. The couple says the bank has offered little support, while fraud prevention officials are warning Canadians that caller ID spoofing can make fraudulent calls appear to come from a legitimate bank number.

An Ontario couple says they lost more than $90,000 after fraudulent activity affected both their personal and business bank accounts.

Dilyn Gilbert-Leduc and his wife, from Sudbury, Ontario, had recently taken over ownership of Mor In Pools and Spas. According to the couple, all of their personal and business accounts were held with Scotiabank. They say the fraud occurred on March 31, when money began disappearing from their accounts.

Gilbert-Leduc said they received several missed calls that appeared to come from Scotiabank’s customer service line. The couple initially avoided providing information over the phone because they were aware of the risks of banking scams and planned to deal with the matter in person at their branch.

However, Gilbert-Leduc said the caller continued to contact them, provided identifying details, and appeared to be calling from a number associated with Scotiabank. At that point, with money already gone from their accounts, the couple decided to speak with the caller and provided personal information.

The couple later learned that fraudsters had allegedly gained access to their accounts. Gilbert-Leduc said he was told that someone used a personal token to access his Scotia Connect account and add themselves to the business account.

The case highlights one of the most difficult aspects of modern banking fraud: caller ID spoofing. Fraudsters can manipulate call display so that a call appears to come from a legitimate bank, government agency, police service, or business. This can cause victims to lower their guard, especially when the caller already appears to have personal or account-related information.

Jeff Horncastle of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre warned that phone numbers appearing on call display cannot be treated as proof of who is calling. He said fraudsters can make almost any number appear on a victim’s phone, meaning there is no guaranteed way to confirm the identity of an incoming caller based on caller ID alone.

Gilbert-Leduc said the couple has received little assistance from Scotiabank since the fraud. He said there have been no offers of mortgage deferrals, credit increases, or other support to help the family keep their business operating while they wait to learn whether the money can be recovered.

Scotiabank said it could not comment on an individual client matter for privacy reasons. The bank also stated that it will never ask clients to disclose a PIN, password, or one-time code on a call the client did not initiate. It said its customer service line had not been compromised and warned that fraudsters may spoof phone numbers to make calls appear as though they are coming from the bank.

The couple says they are sharing their experience to hold the bank accountable and to warn others about how convincing spoofed banking calls can be. In the meantime, they say support from family and friends has helped them continue operating their business.

The incident underscores the importance of independently verifying any urgent call about bank account activity. Canadians who receive a suspicious call should end the call, avoid sharing personal information or one-time codes, and contact their bank directly using a trusted number from the back of their bank card or the bank’s official website.

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Originally published on Canadian Fraud News.