A Pennsylvanian couple is in trouble for spending $120,000 erroneously credited to their account. They must have saved some because they’re out on bail! I would have spent that money too! Maybe not exactly the same way or as quickly as they did but there’s no way I’d have alerted the bank about their mistake after all banks do overcharge us at times with their withdrawal charges and ridiculous account maintenance fees. And much like phone, TV and other subscription services that “forget” to disconnect you and you cross your fingers and hope they’ll forget to charge you as well but they eventually disconnect or make you pay for the service! When I’m broke, which is almost all the time, I find myself wishing for a miracle. You know how the prosperity gospel preachers confuse us and persuade us to believe in the impossible so there you are contemplating where to get your next rent payment and then you get that notification about your bank balance and it’s thousands of dollars! I’d double-check and reread the SMS a couple more times and then thank God for answering my prayers! Who in their right mind would call the bank’s customer care or help desk to alert them about their mistake? Honest people, that’s who, and probably those who don’t have to worry about money. Banks are quick though. Must be all that up to date swanky software and they’re bound to notice erroneous transfers almost immediately, especially when it’s their money but when it’s the clients’, they’ll make you wait weeks if not months and a good example is cheque or credit card theft. They take forever to compensate customers even for cases where they’re responsible for the loss. The earlier mentioned couple clearly owns a joint account and so both were privy to the illicit funds but I’m curious to know what would have happened had they held separate accounts. Do you tell your partner about the money or keep it to yourself? And then after secretly enjoying your “fortune”, the police come for you and your spouse has no clue but no one would believe they had absolutely no idea what was going on! Like I said earlier, they rushed. I’d have waited a while before splashing the cash, throwing parties and taking vacations. I’m sure when the bank officials turned up to their home, they had all the evidence they needed, what with the new cars parked outside and all. I read that they gave some of the money to friends and relatives, which is generous and something we’re all likely to do but in this case, I wouldn’t be quick to share just in case I had to give it back. I’d pay off my most pressing bills and offer some to my Mum who would probably decline it and tell me to return it right away followed by a long lecture about how it’s not right and how she raised me better than that! Funny thing is that if a moto guy or the waiter at my favorite restaurant mistakenly gave me more change than they were supposed to, I’d give it back because we’re kind of in the same boat. All struggling to make ends meet but as for the banks, sorry not sorry!
