Would you return £2,000?
Discussion
Re: Woman on the news that accidentally transferred £2000 to someone because she clicked the wrong account.
If she had sent this money to you randomly would you make an attempt to return it?
I think I probably would in the end because things like that eat away at me but given that peace of mind would be a very nice windfall it would be a close call.
If she had sent this money to you randomly would you make an attempt to return it?
I think I probably would in the end because things like that eat away at me but given that peace of mind would be a very nice windfall it would be a close call.
to keep it.I'd give it back. She was quite fit though IIRC, so there may be conditions!!
I think everyone would return it, but if you ask "if you found 2 grand in cash in a wallet on the side of the road", maybe different answers....??
When I was 15, we stopped on country road near a passing place (dirt pull in) for my bro to check his car, and I found a wallet with a lot of cash in it, Uk and foreign stuff. There was over $800, and about £300 plus some Rupees etc so it was a lot in them days. Had a card wiht adress on it, so when we got home, my old man called him up and said we'd found his wallet, he was realy evasive and said, "it's OK, keep it!"
IN the end, my old man took it round to him, it was a big posh house about 40 miles away. He gave it to the guys wife, who said she did not even know it was lost, but thanks etc. About 3 months later, the guy was in the local paper having been caught in his car with a hooker in the self same spot as we found the wallet! It was a country road but quite busy, he must have enjoyed the thrill of being caught, only not by his missus!! His missus had said she's get him to send us a reward, but he never did! Dirty perv!!
[
I think everyone would return it, but if you ask "if you found 2 grand in cash in a wallet on the side of the road", maybe different answers....??
When I was 15, we stopped on country road near a passing place (dirt pull in) for my bro to check his car, and I found a wallet with a lot of cash in it, Uk and foreign stuff. There was over $800, and about £300 plus some Rupees etc so it was a lot in them days. Had a card wiht adress on it, so when we got home, my old man called him up and said we'd found his wallet, he was realy evasive and said, "it's OK, keep it!"
IN the end, my old man took it round to him, it was a big posh house about 40 miles away. He gave it to the guys wife, who said she did not even know it was lost, but thanks etc. About 3 months later, the guy was in the local paper having been caught in his car with a hooker in the self same spot as we found the wallet! It was a country road but quite busy, he must have enjoyed the thrill of being caught, only not by his missus!! His missus had said she's get him to send us a reward, but he never did! Dirty perv!!
[
Edited by s3fella on Sunday 13th September 22:47
Would certainly question my bank on the payment.
Puggit said:
Morally it's theft, legally it isn't.
It is treated the same as someone walking up to you in the street and giving you the cash!
No, it's theft. You knwo the money has ended up in your account by error and it is incumbent on you to return it. It is treated the same as someone walking up to you in the street and giving you the cash!
It is nothing like receipt of unsolicited goods.
I probably wouldnt notice.
I never check the statements the mrs does and she would probably not mention it as it was money coming in.
So in my case would it still be theft if I just kept spending as usual ? I know I would be mightily pissed of if a few months down the line sombody came and acused me of theft.
I never check the statements the mrs does and she would probably not mention it as it was money coming in.
So in my case would it still be theft if I just kept spending as usual ? I know I would be mightily pissed of if a few months down the line sombody came and acused me of theft.
Edited by Pesty on Sunday 13th September 22:49
Zod said:
No, it's theft. You knwo the money has ended up in your account by error and it is incumbent on you to return it.
It's not theft; theft is appropriation of somebody else's property and if it is given to you, it can't possibly be appropriation.Might have an action in bailment, of course.
bbc said:
Instances like this are not necessarily regarded as theft.
Legally this is a grey area, as proving the recipient of the money had a guilty mind at the time he or she received it could be difficult.
Imagine giving £2,000 to someone who looked like your friend on the street, but turned out not to be.
If they ran off with the money, would you have a leg to stand on?
The police told the BBC it might be possible for them to investigate, but they could not guarantee the Crown Prosecution Service would agree to prosecute.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8251679.stmLegally this is a grey area, as proving the recipient of the money had a guilty mind at the time he or she received it could be difficult.
Imagine giving £2,000 to someone who looked like your friend on the street, but turned out not to be.
If they ran off with the money, would you have a leg to stand on?
The police told the BBC it might be possible for them to investigate, but they could not guarantee the Crown Prosecution Service would agree to prosecute.
bbc said:
But, after clicking the wrong box, she accidentally sent the cash to someone she had paid years ago, and whose details had been saved on her account.
The bank concerned, the Alliance and Leicester, says it cannot force the person who received the money to return it.
They tried repeatedly to contact the customer concerned, but "regrettably" that customer has not responded.
A spokesperson told the BBC: "It wasn't our mistake, so we are unable to take any further action".
Furthermore, they would not even tell Claire the name of the customer, because of the Data Protection Act.
That means she is unable to take the case to the small claims court.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8251679.stmThe bank concerned, the Alliance and Leicester, says it cannot force the person who received the money to return it.
They tried repeatedly to contact the customer concerned, but "regrettably" that customer has not responded.
A spokesperson told the BBC: "It wasn't our mistake, so we are unable to take any further action".
Furthermore, they would not even tell Claire the name of the customer, because of the Data Protection Act.
That means she is unable to take the case to the small claims court.
Right, so the recipient's details are still in her online banking but she doesn't know who it is? Dozy mare.
Edited by SJobson on Sunday 13th September 23:06
£2k lands in your account, swiftly followed by a message telling you that it's a mistake.
You have absolutely no legal or moral right to the money, so don't try. Give it back without fuss. If you try to give fuss, you will end up in a big legal battle which you wil lose, so don't bother. The law is very clear on this.
You have absolutely no legal or moral right to the money, so don't try. Give it back without fuss. If you try to give fuss, you will end up in a big legal battle which you wil lose, so don't bother. The law is very clear on this.
She works for RBS http://gba.modernsignal.net/default.asp?id=78 maybe she can get them to add her a "are you really really sure" button 
Edited by TonyToniTone on Sunday 13th September 23:19
wendyg said:
£2k lands in your account, swiftly followed by a message telling you that it's a mistake.
You have absolutely no legal or moral right to the money, so don't try. Give it back without fuss. If you try to give fuss, you will end up in a big legal battle which you wil lose, so don't bother. The law is very clear on this.
I'm not so sure about that, if the law is so clear why can't this woman get her money back?You have absolutely no legal or moral right to the money, so don't try. Give it back without fuss. If you try to give fuss, you will end up in a big legal battle which you wil lose, so don't bother. The law is very clear on this.
In the case of a bank administration error, I'd agree, but in the case above the sender would surely have to prove that it was a mistake? If I gave someone in the street £2k, then as they were walking away shouted "no wait, I've made a mistake, can I have it back please!", am I legally entitled to the money? I just gave it away so it's no longer mine.
I'd be interested to learn the answer if anyone knows.
ETA: Ive just seen the BBC quote above, how spooky that it's the same example...
Edited by Neil_H on Sunday 13th September 23:42
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff