Woman goes to TD Bank for a cash withdrawal. Then gets horrified to find out how easy that was: ‘We are COOKED’

A woman who posts on TikTok as @caggiebaby said she made large cash withdrawals at two TD Bank branches and was alarmed by how little verification the staff required. She described walking into the branches, inserting her debit card, entering her 4-digit PIN, and receiving a 6-digit code on her phone that she then shared with the employees. According to the creator, neither location asked her for a driver’s license, passport, or other photo identification.

The video, which has gained 102,000 views, shows her speaking from inside a car while wearing sunglasses. She said one branch had been closed the day before for Thanksgiving and was crowded, so she asked to count the cash in a back area near the safe. The creator claimed the process felt too simple for the amount of money involved and left her concerned about account security.

In the video, she stated that staff at both locations asked whether she was under duress or being forced to withdraw the money. After she said she was not, they sent the code and accepted it as confirmation of her identity. She argued that relying on a phone code instead of photo ID created a weaker check, because someone who obtained her phone could potentially complete the same steps without needing to resemble her.

TD Bank describes its code system for online access

The creator said the first employee took her to a back area to count the large sum privately. She later told viewers she felt bothered that no identification had been requested at either branch. At the second location, she said she asked the staff member directly whether they would check her ID, and the employee appeared surprised by the question.

She stated that the employee replied that the 6-digit code replaced the need for identification. The creator then argued that this approach removed a visual check that would normally require a person to match her age range and appearance. She said anyone with access to her phone could receive the code and present themselves as her, regardless of differences in age or appearance.

In the video, she claimed the system made it easier for someone else to empty an account. She described possible risks such as a stolen phone or text messages being redirected, and said the method felt like a step backward even though it involved technology. The creator told viewers, “We are COOKED,” and added that the process seemed to leave accounts more exposed.

According to TD Bank’s website, Two-Step Verification is used when the bank needs to confirm someone is accessing accounts, including when moving money. The bank said customers may receive a security code by text message or generate one through the TD Authenticate app. In her video, the creator described receiving and sharing exactly this kind of code at the branch, yet she said staff treated it as sufficient without also checking photo identification.

Canada’s Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) requires financial entities to verify the identity of every person from whom they receive $10,000 or more in cash. The guidance applies when the institution is receiving the cash and lists certain exceptions, such as deposits into a business account.

One viewer at @caggiebaby’s video wrote that TD is the worst bank in Canada and told people to move their money. Another commenter said the creator had already been verified because she used her card, PIN, and the code sent to her registered phone number, and added that sharing a PIN with someone else would be the customer’s responsibility. Debit card verification has been causing frustration for some time, as when a Chase debit card was refused at a festival left one customer stuck in line.

A third person stated that when they took out a large sum, the bank called their husband for verification, comparing the step to older practices. Another viewer wrote that at least the creator was allowed to complete the withdrawal, noting that some branches say they do not have the cash available. Pushback on big cash requests isn’t unusual, as seen when a teller refusing a cash withdrawal demanded to know how the money would be spent.