SAANICH – November 18, 2025 – Scotiabank has paid $33,900 into a consumer education fund following a debt collection investigation by Consumer Protection BC.

In April, Consumer Protection BC opened a file to investigate Scotiabank’s debt collection practices after a consumer complained the bank continued to communicate with them after they notified collectors they should only be contacted through a lawyer.

“Despite asking them to stop more than once, the consumer was still allegedly contacted more than 100 times by Scotiabank,” says Louise Hartland, director of public relations for Consumer Protection BC. “In BC, a consumer can tell a debt collector they can only contact them in writing or through a lawyer. They can also tell the collector to stop contacting them and take them to court if they don’t believe they owe the debt.”

In the undersigned agreement with Consumer Protection BC, Scotiabank will change its business practices and pay more than $3,500 to cover the cost of the investigation.

“BC consumers have rights when it comes to debt collection. Even if someone owes money, that doesn’t give the creditor the right to harass them, or to challenge them on a debt they don’t have,” says Hartland, “Harassment in debt collection often looks like excessive contact or disrespectful language. Any threatening behaviour is considered harassment.”

Consumer Protection BC advises keeping a record of all debt collector contact. Strict rules govern when, where, and how often someone who owes a debt can be called. To stop the calls, the collector must be notified in writing.

The Consumer Protection BC website has resources and templates to stop the calls. 

Read the full undertaking here.

 

For media inquiries, please contact: 
Louise Hartland 
Director of Public Relations 
media@consumerprotectionbc.ca 
236-664-1626

About Consumer Protection BC

Consumer Protection BC is a not-for-profit regulator responsible for overseeing specific industries and consumer transactions in British Columbia. The organization’s mandate includes licensing and inspecting regulated businesses, responding to consumer inquiries, investigating alleged violations of consumer protection laws, and classifying all general release motion pictures.

With a focus on fairness and accountability, Consumer Protection BC works to ensure consumers are informed and protected. For more information, including recent enforcement actions and details about inspection and complaint-handling processes, visit www.consumerprotectionbc.ca. The organization also shares valuable consumer tips and resources through its blog and social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.

 

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