Intuit used to provide a service called Mint. One gives Mint online banking credentials. Mint stores the credentials. Periodically, Mint would use those to sign into one's online banking sites for Mint to scrape transactions to produce aggregated statements for accounts across all one's banks.

Flinks has been blocked for a time by some banks in the past.

Flinks is not as dangerous. It signs in to download and scrape info. It doesn't pay bills, start Interac e-Transfers, or move funds around.

Banks are banning AI agents due to concerns about unauthorized access and actions taken by these agents that may not align with user instructions, which poses significant security risks to customer accounts and financial information. This decision is driven by the inability of banks to reliably distinguish between legitimate user-directed actions and those initiated by rogue AI agents.

My research shows the following:

JPMorgan Chase Blocks external agents from operating customer accounts.
Bank of America Restricts access for third-party AI agents.
Wells Fargo Similar restrictions on AI agent access.
Royal Bank (RBC) Blocks third-party AI agents from accessing online banking.
TD Bank Bans all third-party personal AI agents from direct access.
Bank of Montreal (BMO) Limits AI agents from accessing digital properties.

There has been discussion on the Forum about concerns about Flinks accessing our accounts when setting up EFT links from some online FI's that require our giving Flinks the login credentials for the target FI.

How does Flinks relate to the current bans being sought by banks to protect customers? Will Flinks come under the same scrutiny as an AI agent?

Stephen

jorno319 said

A combination of the CRTC rejecting Telus' application to apply the fee to CRTC regulated services and customer backlash.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/busine.....-1.6882341

https://www.cbc.ca/news/busine.....-1.6678764

"While Telus didn't need the CRTC's approval to add the surcharge to its unregulated services, the CRTC is very concerned about this practice as it goes against affordability and consumer interest," the regulator said, noting that the fees disproportionately hurt the most vulnerable consumers.

"The CRTC is sending a clear message to Telus and other telecommunications service providers that are thinking of imposing such a fee on their customers."

The regulator said that if the practice continues, it will consider all options at its disposal.

"We heard Canadians loud and clear: close to 4,000 of you told us that you should not be subjected to an additional fee based on the method you choose to pay your bill," CRTC chair Ian Scott said. "We expect the telecommunications industry to treat Canadians with respect and do better."

Ah Yes ⬆️ ... It's all coming back to me now.

The question now is ... will we get a Déjà Vu, on this❓

Time will tell . . .

Dean

Dean said
.
I can't remember . . .

What convinced Telus to back-off, on their attempted CC processing fee❓
Dean  

A combination of the CRTC rejecting Telus' application to apply the fee to CRTC regulated services and customer backlash.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/busine.....-1.6882341

https://www.cbc.ca/news/busine.....-1.6678764

"While Telus didn't need the CRTC's approval to add the surcharge to its unregulated services, the CRTC is very concerned about this practice as it goes against affordability and consumer interest," the regulator said, noting that the fees disproportionately hurt the most vulnerable consumers.

"The CRTC is sending a clear message to Telus and other telecommunications service providers that are thinking of imposing such a fee on their customers."

The regulator said that if the practice continues, it will consider all options at its disposal.

"We heard Canadians loud and clear: close to 4,000 of you told us that you should not be subjected to an additional fee based on the method you choose to pay your bill," CRTC chair Ian Scott said. "We expect the telecommunications industry to treat Canadians with respect and do better."

What convinced Telus to back-off, on their attempted CC processing fee❓

Dean

Wrayzor said
Make sure you have a balance owing before over-paying. They don't seem to allow overpayment when you have a zero or negative balance.

That was my experience when attempting to get the 1.5x before it goes away.  

The 1.5x can only go up to the value of the Rogers/Shaw billing amounts on the CC statement. Otherwise, it defaults to 1% cash back on other charges.

Example: If I have a Rogers charge of $150 on the statement, I can only use $100 of the reward amount to get the 1.5x = $150 credit on the Rogers charge. I ran into that limitation this month. I am assuming I have one more crack at 1.5x for my Shaw bill that will be posted before Nov 18th.

That was my experience when attempting to get the 1.5x before it goes away.

Just before November 18, I'm going to apply all my earned cash back against previous Rogers related purchases to get $1.50 against those purchases for every $1 of earned cash back.

I might overpay my Rogers-related bills by a few months shortly before January 15 to earn 5% cash back before I have to pay the 1.6% credit card processing fee.

Norman1 said
One could consider applying for a Rogers Red Mastercard.

5% cash back on charges for Rogers, Fido, or Shaw bills by the time the 1.6% credit card processing fee kicks in on January 17, 2027. 2% cash back on other charges for having an eligible Rogers service.  

So you are saying one gets 5% cash back on Rogers purchases charged to Rogers MC starting Nov 18 but you will pay 1.6% service charge eff Jan 17 for using a CC. Could be worse. I guess the Cash Back $ accrued is gone on Nov 18 if u dont use it before Nov 18 - is that correct?

5% cash back on charges for Rogers, Fido, or Shaw bills by the time the 1.6% credit card processing fee kicks in on January 17, 2027. 2% cash back on other charges for having an eligible Rogers service.

As for myself, in this case the CC I use (Tangerine) pays me a 2.0% reward, so I'm still 'Slightly' ahead.

As The Stomach Turns . . .

Dean

For me, that would be $120 annually, as I am currently getting $10/mo Auto-Pay Discount on my Rogers bill.

Keep the Auto-Pay Discount on your existing plan
As long as you keep your current plan (already receiving the Auto-Pay Discount) and stay on an eligible payment method, you’ll keep the discount. If you make changes as of July 23, 2026 (home services) or September 15, 2026 (mobile), you’ll need to update to a Rogers Bank credit card or pre-authorized debit to keep the discount.

In my area, I know most of them and overhear how they talk about the 'suckers' who give them money from their cars. It's a very lucrative scam; often netting hundreds of dollars every day. A very few are truly homeless, but the vast majority have residences.

I have seen some come out of their houses, walk to their back fence, go through and walk to the nearest corner to immediately become 'homeless'. Others, I have followed home and watched them go through their front doors. I have also watched others arrive by bus or been dropped off by car to 'work' their streets. One wheelchair-bound fraudster had a couple of friends help hoist him onto the median before perpetrating his fraudulent scheme.