Cash Machine giving out "Double Money"

stevieglesga

I know many will not agree with what i have done but hope that many more will support me.

On the way home from work tonight (Friday) i went to a local RBS cash machine located next to main train, bus and taxi station and withdrew £30.00. Imagine my surprise when it issued 3 x £20.00 notes. Positive i had input correctly i tried again and once more issued me £60.00 I then printed off a statement and it had registered 2 x £30.00 withdrawels and not £120.

I will not lie, i was tempted. I tried it another 3 times to same result. It was like something from a movie. Banks rip off customer all the time and for a moment i contemplated revenge and a small financial gain. But my sense of right and wrong (damn my mum, peers and teachers for instilling it) racked my mind along with a bit of common sense that there was no point in jeopardising my account and liberty for a couple of hundred pounds. Yes , had it been 1/2 million, my moral stance may have evaporated but i would like to think not.

So i called the bank and after about 10 mins of being passed about (while telling people approaching machine that it was broken) i eventually got to explain what had happened giving my name and bank details and they informed me to attend the branch in the morning to have my account checkedand that they would have the machine shut down immediately.

Now i know that the feeling of doing the right thing should be reward enough but doe anyone think i will be given an actual reward for possibly saving them several thousand pounds?

elsien

if you don't ask you don't get - worth a try I reckon.
(and congrats on doing the right thing - lots of people may disagree, but I think it's great.)

LucyTheDwarf

Good for you! It's refreshing to see honest, decent people, when you hear so much about the opposite.

A friend's mum had something similar, and took it into the bank. Was spurting out 20s instead of 10s - she had £50 or so too much. She was sent a letter of thanks (NatWest I think...), and her savings account was boosted by the amount she'd handed back in. A nice gesture for her honesty

Viper_7

If you had taken it , you'd have been done for theft.

Knowingly profiting by someone else's mistake.

This has happened many a time with the hoppers being filled with the wrong notes.

I recall an entire family actually were jailed for it. As they realised what was happening and called their family and friends.

they can easily tell you knowingly know there is a problem when people start performing multiple transactions of £10 to get £20 each time etc.

Everything is logged!

stevieglesga

Going into back in morning to give them the money. Not really expecting anything as, as viper said, not doing so is theft. Done some research tonight and i've read it has happened a few times with queues of people all taking large sums from atms. Often the banks pursue a recovery but not always if too many involved.

Still reckon i made right decision in end. Will see what happens tomorrow.

wolfehouse

if it helps, i will give you praise for doing the right thing. don't expect the bank to though. they will feel you just did what you were legally obliged to do.

Biggles

wolfehouse wrote: »

if it helps, i will give you praise for doing the right thing. don't expect the bank to though. they will feel you just did what you were legally obliged to do.

You did a bit more than that, you weren't legally obliged to ring the bank (presumably at your own expense) and you weren't legally obliged to tell other people it was broken. You could just have walked away.

But don't hand the money back to a counter assistant, ask to see the manager. If they want to to make an appointment, tell them you've got some money that belongs to him!

Lavendyr

Well done on doing the right thing - very refreshing indeed in this day & age.

I agree with Biggles - you did more than you had to. You phoned the bank at your expense, you waited while they dealt with you, you actively stopped other people using the machine and gaining even more from it, and you are spending your own time going in tomorrow to give them back the money. Do definitely ask to see a manager, and I'd suggest they should let you keep the money you gained as a reward.

diablobear

Good for you, that was definatly a moral dilemma!
Will be very interested in the outcome you have with the bank.

stevieglesga

Surprise, surprise.

Barely got a thanks. Got the impression from "customer service" clerk that i was wasting her time. Although she did say thanks she qualified it by stating " the machine records all transactions anyway so we will contact anyone who used it". Ditto when i suggested reward.

Didn't ask me to sign a statement, didn't take my account number until i suggested it. Wouldn't or couldn't as she said even confirm what transactions i had last night. Total apathy. Wish i had spoken to Manager. She did she she would make a report. Will give them 15 days for a response of some sort and then it is a letter to head office.

I mentioned that i was on phone for ten mins, i mentioned that i prevented others from using ATM and she hardly even acknowledged it. I even had to suggest that she take a note of the numbers i had provided as i had noticed that th ATM was still operating and there was a queue of people in bank compalining that they had received reduced amounts. I reckon the £10 & £20 bundles were wrong way round!

I know that you should not be rewarded for simply adhering to the law, and i still wouldn't feel right stealing but this type of response only encourages negative behaviour. Next time i will simply take note of how much i got extra, walk away and let the locals have a field day.

moorhen_2

Well done to you for doing what you did. I'd have been well tempted. But shame on the RBS clerk. You definitely deserve a reward for your effort on top of the honesty.