I thought this was the sort of thing that only happens to other people.
I went to a cash machine at lunchtime to get some money to buy sandwiches. While performing this transaction I decided to check my balance – something I don’t normally do but I had the urge to break my routine for some reason. I noticed to my surprise that I had quite a bit more money in my account than I was expecting. I looked at my watch that correctly pointed out that it was the 21st of June and therefore nowhere near pay day. I took my money, bought my sandwiches and walked back to the office (I had a lovely coronation egg salad sandwich from Pret A Manger if you must know).
So I went on-line and checked my bank statement and lo-and-behold, there was a bank transfer of £1629.72 into my account with the mysterious description of “BANK CREDIT SA.”. Normally, when my salary goes into my account the description gives the name of my company so I knew it wasn’t that. I called my bank to ask them.
When I inquired about the transfer the guy said “That’s strange, it only has the text SA, normally there’s more than that”. He then read off the transaction number which meant nothing to me (something like 686960404596001X) and cross-referenced the code with all my direct debits – to no avail. He said he couldn’t find out who it was from. Weird. I was advised to not spend the money and if it was transferred erroneously it normally takes people about a week to realise and then they’ll be in touch – although he finds it a bit unlikely as they’d need to know my sort code and my 8-digit account code. He said if I heard nothing by then to ring back and they can do some more investigating.
I’m a bit perplexed. To my knowledge nobody owes me any money. I’ve spoken to anyone who’ll listen and they deny all knowledge. I sent in my tax return a while ago and even calculated it myself (I was bored) and reckon I’m owed about £30 so it can’t be from the Inland Revenue.
So if anyone out there knows who it’s from, let me know (although you’re not getting it back)! But should a big nasty company contact me and ask for it back I’ll say yes, as long as they give me a free coffee mug with their logo on it so I can add it to my collection. Or maybe I should ask for more?
Update (1/2/2005): It turned out that the deposit was from the Inland Revenue for overpaid tax. A couple of weeks later I got a letter confirming that fact so I got to keep the cash!
Ok, my second post to your site will again be a “it happened to me too” post.
Long time ago, I was checking my bank statement, and there was an unexpected R$ 500,00 deposit there.
I called my father, who worked at the bank, and asked him if he knew something about it. He checked it, and it happened that the money should’ve been credited to someone with the same account number as me, but in a different agency.
The deposit was made in my agency, and the guy from the bank did not realize the credit was supposed to go to another agency, so he put the money on my account.
Finally, was very hard to let that money go, because I really needed it. 🙂
“To my knowledge nobody owes me any money.”
I’m sure I must owe you a tenner from here and there but if you’re so convinced, who am I to argue?
OK John, it was me. I still feel guilty about getting your old digital camera at a knock-down price, so I thought I’d make amends…
Perhaps, I was a bit over-generous – send half of it back to me and we’ll say no more.
You’re SO lucky!
(where’s the People’s chumpion when you need him?)
It’s about time Stu – that camera was a bargain! And Chris, as you know I hate lucky people!
Happened to me when I was at University – someone with the same name at the same branch had their salary paid into my account! I owned up too, far too honest.
Two Steve Powers! Who would have thought it!!!
I made the payment and will make the remaining four payments as we agreed. In return you will fulfill your end of the arrangement. I do not expect to hear about this again until the job is done.
Affirmative. Message understood.
It’s mine. Give it back.
…Worth a try 😉
I’ll look after the money for you if you like.
I thought that only occured in Monopoly!
I went to the bank one day to take out $20.00 (i Only had $380.00)and when I read the recipet it said $29,031.95!!!!!!!!! So I went and bought some food at the mall then I checked my balance and surprizingly it said $29,026.21!!! ($6.00 off from food) So after having a nevous breakdown considering i’m only 14!!! seeing this much (that is mine)I bought my mom $150.00 diamond earings.(it only happended today) so I hae got to see what happens when i check my acc balance tomorrow. My mom say’s they will find the error tonight when they look over the days transactions and stuff (she used to work for the bank) So anyways lets hope not. It would be a good way to start off my summer! I want a truck thats what I was saving up for.
I will update you tomorow!!!!!!
$30,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well if not back to work at the golf course i guess. Talk to you tommorow!
So I went to the bank again and well it is still there. I updated my bank book and the $29,000 deposit was called a FTCR the codes in the back of the book do not say what FTCR say. If you know please tell me! I will update you again!
Hey, I wouldn’t spend it just yet – banks have a habit of catching up on their mistakes eventually…
Same thing happened to me yesterday. Should I just keep quite or own up to the bank?????
I’d keep quiet, but I’m evil.
I got £5,603 deposited by some big PLC company into my bank account today. I really really hope I have won some lucky draw that I didn’t know I entered…
It happened to me too (twice!!). It’s slightly different though. First time round I was with a particular bank – they messed up a transaction and 4,000 Euro ended up in my accout. Me being the nice (and innocent) guy I am, I call into the bank when I notice this windfall. And they go, “Oh ooops!, gee thanks very much for telling us” and whooosh! went my 4,000 Euro windfall. Imagine almost a year passes, and after about 4 other botch-ups – one of which was 2,000 Euro being withdrawn from my account to pay for the first installment of a car, the problem is that I don’t know how to drive! Anyway, getting back to the point – I closed my account with these idiots, opened another one in another bank and they shafted me for the cost of closing the account. A couple of days ago, one of the dizzies working in the old bank calls me up and says Mr. Roche? We notice you have closed your account with us in the recent past, however a money transfer has arrived for you, could you please send us the details of your new account in your new bank – so I give them these details and (such nice people) they send me a bit over 10,000 Euro… ???? Now, I was begged on the phone by them the other day to please, please, please allow my bank to re-transfer the money. Seemingly, without my consent it can’t be done. My question is… Why should I give them back the money if it really DOES work like in Monopoly?
Hi, I just searched bank credit SA as I too have just received a credit for £56. But It looks like its my tax too! I wish it was more now!!!
You should have known that Bank Credt SA is a tax refund! SA means SELF ASSESSMENT!
Self Assessment – so obvious and yet it never occurred to me! I think I kept thinking ‘South Africa’ and that sent me off the trail of what it might have been…
yup same thing happened to me today i found 1300 extra in my account i hope’t it was a lucky mistake but its just my tax return a well still happy thou time to spend it XD
Sincerely thanks for this post John, I just looked at my bank statement and had no idea who “Bank Credit SA” was until I found your post.
Also thanks for background switcher, keeps me sane when I spend too much time staring at my computer.