What would you do if you had $88 billion for 5 hours?
By amorlife1
@amorlife1 (370)
South Africa
April 1, 2010 8:40pm CST
I saw an article on yahoo.com about a guy that checked his bank statement and found an erroneous amount of $88 billion! Realizing that it was an error, he tried to move the money into an interest-bearing account while he tried to sort it out. His intention was that when the mistake was found, at least he'd keep the interest part. I think that was really smart. Of course, the bank refused.
So that got me thinking... what would I have done if I had $88 billion for 5 hours, and I knew I had to give it back after 5 hours.
How would you use the money so that you could gain something and give back the original amount?
1 person likes this
15 responses
@kaylachan (69712)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2 Apr 10
If I had that kind of money and knew I had to give it back, I wouldn't do anything. There would be nothing left and I would be in debt for the rest of my life. My first instinct would be to pay the bills, but in doing so I'd have to save up for a couple of years at least to reach the amount that I would have used to pay off my debts.
@momof3kids (1894)
• Singapore
3 Apr 10
hmm a few thousand dollars you say.. that will be enough for me..
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
3 Apr 10
Yup, for most people! Actually, why can't the banks do that? Just put a large sum of money in a random person's account for a few hours and then take it back, leaving just the interest...
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
True. But maybe compared to $88 billion, the amount of your debt will be so small that the bank might not ask for it back. As long as they get the majority of the $88 billion back, they might not mind if a few thousand dollars was missing..
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
2 Apr 10
After I wake from the coma I am surely in, I would be the happiest person on earth. I would probably go on the biggest shoppping spree of my life. I would spend the money on whatever whim struck me at the moment. Finally, i would donate a sizeanle portion to the homeless. We just do not do enough to end this plight soon enough! Maybe this money could help as well as please the soul.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
3 Apr 10
It was a nice dream, wasn't it? Now it's time to wake up.
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
but then what would happen when you had to pay it back? Because eventually the bank would realize the mistake and want their money back?
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
3 Apr 10
I would have visions of being arrested and having our house taken away and thrown in jail, even if it was an innocent mistake. Therefore I would call the bank and tell them that they made an error. if possible, I would take along the statement and go to the online bank site, and copy the previous statements to show that at no time did a rich uncle die and leave me all that money.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
10 Apr 10
That might be an idea, but when they do recover the money, would they not take the interest as well? No, best thing is to tell the bank at once. One does not know what the bank's reaction would be. If one has a credit card, they might decide to lower the interest rate, maybe give you a gift card, or put a notice in the paper, but would one not feel better if one says that the amount posted in their account as a mistake? After all, that money is also the money deposited by other people, not just rich guys.
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
3 Apr 10
That would definitely be the safest thing... But I think that it would be better to just leave the money in there until the bank realizes their mistake. Don't use it, just leave it. Maybe by the time the bank realizes it, you might have earned some interest...
1 person likes this
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
Haha, but if you tried to buy the bank they would realize that you're trying to use their own money to buy them!
@momof3kids (1894)
• Singapore
2 Apr 10
ya I think that guy is smart to want to transfer just to keep the interest but since the bank refuse..
Maybe I will donate part of it to a charity and see if they will take that back. I dare only to donate part of it in case they insist I pay that amount back.
I dun see why I should do anything more since I have to give it back.
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
But what part would you donate to charity? Because you have to give the entire 88 billion back?
@momof3kids (1894)
• Singapore
3 Apr 10
I would give an amount that i can afford to lose, say $100? I will have the receipt and all.. ;)
@xasasa (321)
• United States
2 Apr 10
I saw that article. Probably in the case of this story, I would be too afraid of getting in legal trouble to touch the money. There is a case here where I live that a guy deposited $900 and the cashier mistakenly put in $90,000 he spent the money and is now in major trouble.
Although if someone came up to me and told me I could have $88 billion for 5 hours and that I could keep the money I earned off of it, I would probably put it in an hight interest account.
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
I can't understand why the guy would get into trouble. It was the cashier's mistake, she should have gotten into trouble.
Anyway, I think the quickest way to make money off such a huge sum is to put it into a high interest account. Or maybe invest it offshore, but that would be risky...
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
No way! If the bank made a mistake, he couldn't have been committing fraud. If there is money in his account, he spends it. it could have come from anywhere - a business deal, a lotto winning, an inheritance... who knows.
But I guess it's safer to be on the right side of the law anyway.
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
that is safe. But you can't go to jail if you give the money back can you? I wouldn't keep the money, but rather, I'd use the money to generate interest for me. I'd still give back the original amount and keep the interest I generated.
@Vintervarg (697)
• Estonia
3 Apr 10
Actually it is not realistic with all the possible complications, but my another guess would be that I can just cash all the sum out, jam it into as many bags and suitcases as I would be able to carry, and buy a one-way plane ticket to some country that does not give away criminals. Just like in Hollywood!
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
3 Apr 10
Yes! That's what I'm talking about. That makes for a great story! That would also make for a great movie!
@Vintervarg (697)
• Estonia
2 Apr 10
I would buy a house and a car, and just tell the bank later that I had enough money before and was going to do it anyways exactly on the same day I received these 88 billion lol.
But $88 billion transferred incorrectly.....anyways sounds to good to be true
But $88 billion transferred incorrectly.....anyways sounds to good to be true@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
Haha! Your bank statement will show the truth! they'll definitely repo that house and car!
I was also thinking when I read the article, how possible is it to make a mistake with $88 billion?? $88,000 I can understand, but $88 billion???
@roshanahmad (223)
• India
2 Apr 10
First thing I'll do is to close my bank account. How can it is possible to transfer 88 Billion dollars incorrectly!Well, even though it is not specified whether the mistake was done by the bank or by the sender, I assume it would be bank and if it was the sender the guy who received it can have it without any problems.
$88 billion sent incorretly!!!
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
My thoughts exactly! How could they transfer $88 billion incorrectly? And I think I agree with you... I'd transfer it out to another bank account and close that account. They must then try to find me!
@lifeafterdeath09 (2043)
• United States
2 Apr 10
wow that is alot of money!! that story seems too good to be true... but if i ever had that kind of money i would probably save it. i would be set for retirement!
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
that wouldn't work because soon, the bank would realize their mistake and collect their money! the idea is to try and use that money to make some money for yourself. By the time they come for it, you've made some money of your own from their money...
@rhymemartin (21)
• Philippines
2 Apr 10
Shucks. That was really shocking. Well, for me, you could use it for a business. I mean, small business. You could sell stuff and get the money again in 5 hours. I think that's possible. Hahaha.. ;D
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
True... you'd have to have a product that's very popular and easy to sell in order to make a sizable amount of money in 5 hours...
@Aviroyalavi (205)
• India
2 Apr 10
if i hav dat money for 5hour's i just buy a small mobile and i present to my GrlFrnd.
it's vry helpfull to me at present................lolz
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
LOL! I suppose the bank won't mind if a very little amount of money was missing from the $88 billion. And your girlfriend would be really happy with you!
@jiraiyasanin (642)
• Philippines
2 Apr 10
maybe if thats happen to me, i will immediately franchise a fast food restaurant like Mcdonalds or Jollibbee by that i will earn big money and can return the mistake money i own, food restaurant like this two will never be bankrupt specially here in the Philippines kids love going to these two restaurant, for toys sometimes
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
That would be good. But I don't think you could get a franchise and make money in 5 hours! I like your thinking though. If you have everything in place, a franchise can bring a lot of money!
@achilles2010 (3051)
• India
2 Apr 10
Well, since it is not my hard-earned money, moreover, it does not belong to me, I would not touch it. I will just bring it to bank's notice and give it to the person to whom the money legitimately belongs.
@amorlife1 (370)
• South Africa
2 Apr 10
That would indeed be the best thing to do. But do you think it's wrong to make a little bit of profit from it even though it doesn't belong to you? You're still going to give it back, but you'd have made a bit of money. Call it "rent money" for using your bank account for a few hours?
