bank overpayment

(27 Posts)
OohQuack Fri 02-May-14 00:34:03

Evening all. My dsis went to the bank to get change for two fifty pound notes, they gave her double what they should have and she didn't realise till she left.

She's considering keeping it, her dp said she should and she's thinking what it could pay for in the next few weeks, I've said id have to return it because both guilt and fear of getting caught would make me.

You'd return it wouldn't you mnetters?

Xihha Fri 02-May-14 00:55:32

I like to think I would but actually money is so tight at the moment that I'd probably end up keeping it whilst feeling really guilty, but then money is so tight that I wouldn't have had 2 £50 notes to begin with.

littlemisssarcastic Fri 02-May-14 01:04:02

Not quite the same, but I deposited 100 pounds in cash with bank teller once and she put it through as 200 pounds.
I didn't realise until a couple of hours later when I was at home and checked my balance online.
The following morning, I checked my online bank to get a contact number to call the bank on to explain and discovered the amount had been readjusted to 100 pounds although I have no idea how the bank managed to identify my account as the overpaid one when I paid cash over the counter.

Moral of the story is don't be surprised if the bank realise their mistake. I can't explain how they knew they had overpaid me but they did.

Bridezilla3521 Fri 02-May-14 01:28:16

Little miss- I work for a bank and it's quite easy to check back all of a cashier's work and identify where the error has been made and are within their rights to rectify it within 24 hours. After that they would need to notify you.

Going back to OP's post, personally I would take it back because I know what impact it would have on the cashier (plus I would feel incredibly guilty anyway, even though it wouldn't be my fault). What kind of person would keep it?! Would it be alright if you stole £100? No different.

Caitlin17 Fri 02-May-14 01:44:56

I would definitely take it back. It is the right thing to do.

Amy106 Fri 02-May-14 02:54:58

I would return the money.

NigellasDealer Fri 02-May-14 03:48:53

I would keep it

ilovesooty Fri 02-May-14 07:24:31

I can't imagine why anyone would think it was ok to keep it.
In any case most people would spot the mistake before leaving the building.

Vinomcstephens Fri 02-May-14 07:27:42

Definitely take it back. I work for a bank and the cashier will be penalised for their mistake - plus when the till error was noticed when they balance the tills at the end of the day, they'll narrow down customers who the error could have happened with and check the CCTV on the tills. We're a sophisticated bunch, us bankers �� so if your sister doesn't take it back, she'll have an account adjustment anyway and a letter of explanation.

WooWooOwl Fri 02-May-14 07:42:25

I'd take it back. It's stealing otherwise.

evertonmint Fri 02-May-14 07:46:01

Take it back. A clear conscience is worth more than £100 - trite, but true.

devoniandarling Fri 02-May-14 07:52:56

Take it back. Keeping it would play on my mind too much!

londonrach Fri 02-May-14 08:04:44

Take it back. The bank would know why it came from and the cashier would be blamed. You don't want someone to lose their job do you?

MammaTJ Fri 02-May-14 08:05:23

I would worry so much about the cashier at the bank getting in trouble for it, I would have to give it back.

I would also worry about karma kicking me up the arse for not giving it back, so I would have to give it back.

I would remember the lovely lady who handed my phone in when I left it at the waiting room in the stations, so would have to 'pay it forward' and have to give it back.

It honestly would not have got to the point of discussing it with DP or anyone, as soon as I had noticed I would have had to give it back.

I would have been thinking about all the things I could have spent it on though

OohQuack Fri 02-May-14 08:51:27

Just hope she takes my advice then. She didn't actually give them any details so they don't know wgo she is. She just changed notes.

Preciousbane Fri 02-May-14 08:55:09

I would fret far too much that the bank teller would get in to serious trouble, especially as it is an undocumented transaction. Could someone lose their job over being £100 down?

sassysally Fri 02-May-14 08:57:42

I would be worried that the cashier might be expected to make up the difference.

Lizzie568 Fri 02-May-14 09:02:39

I would keep it but be prepared to pay back if they ask for it.

SavoyCabbage Fri 02-May-14 09:09:40

I would give it back. They will find out where it has gone anyway.

Ememem84 Fri 02-May-14 09:17:39

How will they find out? I've changed notes in the bank loads of times, and they don't ask you for Id or ac number for something like that. It's just a straight swap.

Eminybob Fri 02-May-14 09:27:25

I can't believe anyone would even consider keeping it. It's stealing!

The cashier could get into serious trouble, especially if this had happened before. Also, when this has happened at my place of work, the fraud team may get involved if they suspect the money was taken by an employee, meaning all the staff get interviewed, a horrible suspicious atmosphere. Potentially a job loss? Really really not nice. Why on earth would anyone think it would be ok to subject the staff to this?

Where I work the cashiers aren't allowed to exchange cash, they have to pay into the customers account and then withdraw the amount again, creating an audit trail. More banks need to adopt this approach to stop people lacking in morals benefitting from a mistake.

DrewsWife Fri 02-May-14 09:27:45

Return the money. It's an appalling thought that's there is even a debate about it.

The cashier made a mistake. It's not a lottery windfall.

She is very likely to get into massive trouble. I know the rollicking I got for being 3p out in job centre accounts.

Sad hmm

HaroldLloyd Fri 02-May-14 09:29:07

What vino said, the till won't balance and they will be looking at this.

Bridezilla3521 Fri 02-May-14 11:02:37

It's £100, they will be looking for it. As a cashier myself, I would be thinking back on who I served and it wouldn't be that hard to figure out where the error was made as everything else would be on my audit for that day. As a pp has said, it should be paid in to an acc and changed that way anyway.

If the money isn't returned, the cashier would be disciplined for it. And likely to be placed on a performance plan.

How would your friend like it if she lost £100?

What goes around comes around.

Mooycow Fri 02-May-14 11:07:08

We were accidently given too much when we cashed a cheque ( many moons ago ) allowing that �100 was ALOT of money then.
We noticed when we got home , and immeadiatly returned the money
We got half the amount back as a reward in a nice letter as a thank you .

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