Dispute an Unauthorized Bank Transaction in Canada
Matthew Leo · Published October 9, 2026 · Guides
If a transaction you did not make appears on a Canadian bank or card account, report it immediately. Do not wait to see whether another charge appears.
Use the phone number on the back of your card, the bank’s official app or its website. A text message about “fraud” may itself be the scam.
Secure the account before arguing about the charge
Tell the bank which transaction you dispute and ask what needs to be blocked or replaced. Change the account password and PIN if the bank instructs you to do so. If a phone used for banking was lost or stolen, report that as well.
Check for changes to your contact details, transfer recipients and notification settings. Review linked credit lines or overdraft accounts because a compromised debit account may expose more than its current balance.
If your mobile number stopped working unexpectedly, contact your carrier from another phone. A SIM swap can intercept calls and text messages used for account recovery. Mapletechie’s SIM-swap protection guide explains the warning signs.
Write down the evidence
Save the transaction date, amount, merchant description and the time you first noticed it. Keep screenshots or statements, but do not alter them. Record the bank employee’s name, the time of each call and every case number.
Also write down what you did not do. For example: you did not share the card, approve the transfer, give anyone your PIN or respond to a verification request. If your device or card was in your possession, note that.
This record matters if the bank initially treats successful authentication as proof that you approved the transaction.
The bank still has to investigate
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada says a federally regulated financial institution cannot hold you responsible simply because a PIN, password or other authentication technology was used. It must investigate the disputed transaction and consider all relevant circumstances.
In most cases, consumers who took reasonable precautions are not responsible for transactions they did not authorize. For a bank-issued credit card, federal rules generally cap liability at $50 unless the customer demonstrated gross negligence, called gross fault in Quebec. Debit-card responsibility depends more heavily on the account agreement and whether the customer protected the PIN.
Report quickly. The FCAC says deposit-account agreements commonly provide about 30 days from the statement date to dispute a transaction, but the exact period can differ. Waiting may affect reimbursement.
If the bank rejects your claim
Ask for the decision and its reasons in writing. A useful response should identify the evidence the bank relied on rather than simply stating that the correct credentials were used.
Start the bank’s formal complaint process and state the outcome you want, such as reimbursement and correction of related fees. Banks must make their complaint procedure available online and at Canadian branches.
For banks covered by the federal process, the bank must provide a detailed written response within 56 calendar days after the complaint was first made. You can take the complaint to the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments when the bank closes the file with a final response or once more than 56 days have passed.
The FCAC explains the rules and supervises federally regulated institutions, but it does not decide an individual refund dispute. Provincial credit unions may follow a different regulator and complaint process.
Report connected identity fraud
If the transaction is part of a wider takeover, check both Canadian credit files and watch for accounts you did not open. Report fraud or cybercrime through the National Fraud Reporting System. Keep the report number with your bank records.
Do not pay a caller who promises to recover the money. Recovery scammers often target people immediately after a loss.
Sources: FCAC guidance on resolving unauthorized transactions; FCAC consumer rights and responsibilities; FCAC bank-complaint process; Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre victim guidance.
Tags: unauthorized transaction, bank complaint, credit card fraud, debit card fraud, Canada