What would you do if you were suddenly rich by mistake?
By AnjaP
@Rollo1 (16679)
Boston, Massachusetts
May 22, 2009 12:21pm CST
In the news is a story about a couple in New Zealand who were made accidental millionaires by a bank error that transferred $6.1 million into their bank account. Normally, they run a gas station but were in some financial straits as they had an overdraft at the bank. Their new wealth apparently appealed to them, because they took the money and ran.
The couple managed to transfer about $4 million of the mistakenly deposited funds, but the bank was able to recover $1.7 million. Now the bank and the law is trying to find them, but they have $3.2 million with which to make their getaway.
What would you do if you suddenly found millions of dollars in your bank account? Would you report the mistake, or try to withdraw enough of it to be able to afford to disappear and live off the money?
2 people like this
19 responses
@ccarabuena (442)
• Cebu, Philippines
22 May 09
It's not worth it...your conscience is not clear so even if they can't find you but you can never escape the God's judgement...he can see all the things you did.
As what you have said they were in crisis so I couldn't blame them if they did something like that because of the poverty and recession of course. But what they did isn't right after all and in fact New Zealand is a very small country, if they were able to get out and migrate hmmmm probably their government will have a hard time finding them. But Good Luck...
To answer your question, I will return the money to the bank and inform them that it was mistakenly transfered..but I ask you..how will you know it was a mistake? what IF..you won the lottery? ^_^
1 person likes this
@ccarabuena (442)
• Cebu, Philippines
23 May 09
oF COURSE they can do that as well..but question is..they will also investigate the email if it's legitimate right? but even if they were emailed and turn out to be a spam i think they have a good excuse right?
1 person likes this
@Ithink (9980)
• United States
23 May 09
Truthfully as tempted as I might be, if it mean running and looking over my shoulder Id turn it in. I would hate to live a life on the run all the time. I just cant see how that would be a way to live. To never really be able to see friends or family for me that would not be an option.
1 person likes this
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
22 May 09
Wow. That's some story there. If this is in my position, I would surrender the money. My peace of mind is worth more millions than the real millions. But it would be wonderful to find millions suddenly near the drain and with no ID; nothing. I might have to take it; seems like that would be a wonderful mistake.
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
23 May 09
This made me remember on a story whereby I found $50 lying on the street. It was dropped by someone, I think. I waited for a good 10 minutes and no one seemed to be 'looking' for something. So I took it. I mean, even if I go to the police station, there are no IDs or whatsoever and the 50 bucks was not even in a wallet.
. But I must say I took some time to spend the 50 bucks. And I would definitely have given back to the owner should he/she came back looking for it.
. But I must say I took some time to spend the 50 bucks. And I would definitely have given back to the owner should he/she came back looking for it.
@John4Christ (1597)
• India
23 May 09
ahhhh i would not regret for this mistake.......but certainly if it translates as loss to someone else i will definitely return it back to its owner.......but if nobody claims over it........then i would keep it as gift.........afterall who does not like money !!!!!
Every one does !!!!!
1 person likes this
@tundeemma (894)
• South Africa
23 May 09
sudden riches have its advantage and disadvantage, the disadvantage is that i it is sudden and may cause a lot of problem, i have heard about some people who won like a million dollars and they collapsed because they could not believe their eyes, for me i will try as much as possible to keep it secret and spend it wisely
@hardworkingmom (1130)
• United States
23 May 09
I personally don't know. Because I can say one thing but if it ever happens to me I might do something different. I can say I would take the money but I won't drop off the face of the earth and then I can say I'll turn it in especially the way things are going now adays I refuse to go to jail beyond their mess up.
1 person likes this
@marcialoyd (1173)
• United States
23 May 09
I would most definitely report the mistake. As tempting as it would be to take some of that money and go on a shopping spree. lol. But as you said poverty is preferrable to jail time. lol.
1 person likes this
@Uroborus (908)
• Canada
22 May 09
What I wouldn't do is go on the run with it. With today's technology they would be able to find you , and if they didn't, then you would be in obscure parts of the world, always on the run. Even for a few million I wouldn't sell my life like that. This isn't about whether I'm honest or not, it about maintaining my freedom.
However, I wouldn't give it back right away either. What I would do is wait until they found the mistake, in the meantime I would invest it. I'm not talking about longterm investment, but something like FOREX, which can give you a quick return. Sure it's risky, and would get in trouble if I lost a big chunk of it, but if I made even 1%, I would have $61,000. That kind of gamble I would take.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
22 May 09
Yes, you'd have to go live in some country that doesn't have an extradition treaty with any other country and probably you wouldn't enjoy life even with all that money. Plus, you never get to go home again. I don't know if you could get away with quick trading, but it's an idea.
@janyen (623)
• Netherlands
22 May 09
if the case is like that, will definitely report it to the bank and to the police. thats a lot of money and i know police will trace where the money is and it is nowhere to hide. but if it does happen, get the money and spend it. thank the lord and give some to charity. but you will be running from every people coz your wanted from the police
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
22 May 09
No I would report it to the bank right away. I could not live my life looking over my shoulder and running from the law. How stupid these two are to decide to make such a big mistake in their lives. Now they will have to pay the money back and go to jail - was it really worth it??? No matter the financial straits you are in maybe the bank would have given you a reward or not but you still have to live with your conscious. However, now adays I find alot of people don't have a conscious. Do they really think there not going to get caught??? SUCH STUPIDITY!
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
22 May 09
I guess people make a lot of wrong decisions in the heat of the moment. I think they were really in an overdraft of $10,000 and the bank tried to correct it to $61,000 but really deposited $6.1 million. You have to be pretty stupid not to realize that the bank is going to figure this out pretty quickly. Seems most mylotters are smart enough not to try to take the money.
@cbhomework (545)
• Malta
23 May 09
Well, first of all, you would have to go through a total identity change. I mean, if you want a normal life after such a big scoop. I mean they didn't steal them a bank and the bank doesn't know who did it. They know them: bank has every detail about them. Passport numbers and id card numbers are easy to track.
Also, they would need to use other banking services, if they want to start a new business or sell their property... big headache. I don't think their escape will last forever.
As to whether I would be tempted... that's another story!
1 person likes this
@yoyozhou (356)
• China
23 May 09
Being frank to say,I would take the money and disappear.I admit I am not so gracious that I have no sense about such a big ammount of money!I would take the money ang went abroad. Maybe the money was important for the real owner.So I would not take all of money.I would take two-thirds of the money. Of course,I would always be sorry for the real ower in my heart.And when I were old,I would regret what I did choose.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
23 May 09
That's an honest answer. One thing though, you wouldn't have to worry about the real owner, all bank deposits are insured and the owner would get his money back. But the employee who made the mistake? They would definitely fire him and he wouldn't likely get another job in a financial institution.
@DerekNS74 (22)
• United States
23 May 09
If I could get away with 3.2 mil... hell yes. I'm not gonna lie. payday.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
22 May 09
It is not my money. I would notify the bank right away. What if the rightful owner was a philanthropist or what if that money was supposed to be used to pay his employees? It is not right to take something that does not belong to you. And I could not live with myself. Not only that would not the bank assume that if you ran off, you would invest the money and would charge interest on the stolen loot?
Yes give it back. Running off with the cash is not a good idea.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
22 May 09
Well, I think if the bank lost your money by transferring to someone else's account, they would be responsible for that and have to put it back. But you're right, there's no such thing as found money, it's really lost money and someone has lost it and may really need it.
@ProudMommy22 (705)
• United States
22 May 09
Nice mistake But that'd never happen to me im not that much of a lucky person LOL However if it ever did happen i would have to say id have to report the error. Id love to take and spend it and have a good ol time LOL but i know in my heart that would be the wrong thing to do. I also know in my heart that reporting it would be the right thing to do. And besides that i wouldnt want to be going to jail for a very long time for something like that LOL...
1 person likes this
@jayrene (2708)
• Philippines
22 May 09
that would be really really tempting to just run away with the money and hide... lol...
but then knowing myself, i'd probably report it to the bank...
it wont do me good to be hiding for the rest of my life, i'll be always in constant watch if i am being followed or not, that would be really scary, then i wont be able to sleep well.
@anetteh (3590)
• Sweden
22 May 09
I just have to share a story I read in the news today about being rich by surprise...lol. There was one person and his wife who went to the bank for a small loan of 50 000 new zeland dollars...it was just that...lol the banker made a misstake and put in 50 miljon new Zeland dollars....this man and his wife are noe disapeared...This have just accured in new zeland...I would not like to be that banker at this day....And the couple have probably left the country.
And the couple have probably left the country.
@imajerseygirl (433)
• United States
22 May 09
Sounds like a nice bank mistake. Mentally I would love to take it, but physically I think I would report it to the bank and hope they just give me a reward. I couldn't live my life knowing that I did that and have to always look over my shoulder.
1 person likes this
@derlilaStern (1756)
• United States
22 May 09
I worked at a bank - so I know the headaches that can go into recovering money! I also know that the bank wins 95% of the time. Not worth it in my book!
Honestly, I dont even think $3.2 million would be enough to disappear. You would never be able to come out of hiding. Could you really live off of $3.2 million forever without being on the books at all? Would you want to avoid people all of the time and be afraid of anyone finding out who you are?
No thanks! I may not be wealthy, but I have a happy life without any major worries. I wouldnt trade that for wealthy with tons of stress!
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
22 May 09
I am a bank customer and to me it seems that the bank wins 100% of the time!
I don't know where you could go where 3.2 million would be enough, unless it was some other country where the cost of living was pretty cheap. If you can't legally claim the money, you can't bank or invest it and being on the run is probably pretty expensive. So, you're right, it's not enough and it's not worth it.
