Is this theft? Or ethically okay?

**bassybill** · #1 08-19-2009, 04:25 AM

A long line of customers queued to use a UK cashpoint/ATM when a malfunction caused it to start issuing double the amount of cash requested.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...nal-error.html

What's your view on this?

Mark Latimour · #2 08-19-2009, 04:27 AM

Theft. Not even a debate. Whether the machine owner chooses to raise a complaint against any individual is a matter for them.

As to whether its ethically wrong, I don't even think that's seriously debatable. If I go into a store and agree to purchase a CD and the store clerk accidently puts two in my bag and I notice it then and there, it seems pretty obvious that its wrong to keep the second CD. You are intentionally benefiting from a genuine mistake that you know is a mistake.

XtreO · #3 08-19-2009, 04:28 AM

Article was TLDR, but was the extra amout of cash drawn from their account?

Mark Latimour · #4 08-19-2009, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtreO

Article was TLDR, but was the extra amout of cash drawn from their account?

No, I'd imagine it was a problem with the feed, the people only requested say £20 and got £40. Of course, the Bank, knowing this and knowing who made the withdrawal may well choose to debit the withdrawn amount from their account assuming the banking regulations allow them to do this.

dave64o · #5 08-19-2009, 04:42 AM

If anyone has any questions about whether it was right or wrong to keep the money, ask yourself how you'd respond if it only spit out half the amount you requested instead of double the amount you requested.

Sounds to me like it's wrong to keep it.

i_got_a_mohawk · #6 08-19-2009, 05:26 AM

That happened at a bank machine in my home town a good few years back.

Banks don't like loosing money, they just deducted the extra from peoples accounts after discovering what had happened.

Mark Latimour · #7 08-19-2009, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Banks don't like loosing money

Neither do I! Does anyone here like losing money?

Kink Rimson · #8 08-19-2009, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Neither do I! Does anyone here like losing money?

I could do with losing a few pounds.

NickyBass · #9 08-19-2009, 06:25 AM

It's theft. Why would it be ethically ok? Because it's a bank? What if it was an individual who got scammed for the money?

**bassybill** · #10 08-19-2009, 06:47 AM

For the record, I agree 100% that it's theft. But the number of people who queued up to take advantage suggests others may think differently. I was just curious as to how somebody might actually attempt to justify this.

Mark Latimour · #11 08-19-2009, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

For the record, I agree 100% that it's theft. But the number of people who queued up to take advantage suggests others may think differently. I was just curious as to how somebody might actually attempt to justify this.

I doubt they thought what they were doing was legally or ethically right, but when faced with the prospect of a 100% ROI just for entering your pin number, it would be hard to resist!

SteveC · #12 08-19-2009, 06:58 AM

There is no free money. The bank will figure i tout, and it will come from your account. Just because the machine i sspittin gout double, do you think it is just randomly picking accounts to take it from? You entered your account number and PIN.

NickyBass · #13 08-19-2009, 07:06 AM

The funny thing is---if the bank takes the extra money from their account, then they will be the 'victims.'

MJ5150 · #14 08-19-2009, 07:21 AM

Theft.

This actually happened to me about 20 years ago. I made a withdrawal, and got an extra $20 bill. It looked like a $20 got caught up in the machine and it came out kind of wrinkled on top of the pile. The next morning, I reported the problem to my bank. They were shocked I gave the extra $20 back.

-Mike

i_got_a_mohawk · #15 08-19-2009, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Neither do I! Does anyone here like losing money?

True, maybe a tad of a redundant statement. Should have added "and they have the resources to get it back"

Gard · #16 08-19-2009, 07:35 AM

As much as I detest the banking industry in general...wrong is wrong, theft is theft.

However, if the bank decides to debit their account the additional amount, and that account was then overdrafted, the bank should have no right to charge any overdraft fees, provided the customer returns the extra money within a reasonable time (say 2-3 business days). The bank made an error, they should not be able to profit from it.

Joe Gress · #17 08-19-2009, 07:36 AM

Theft.

dangnewt · #18 08-19-2009, 07:56 AM

This happened in NYC in 80's. IIRC, a bank employee put $20 bills in the $10 slot. (This was the 80's - $10 was a lot of money and ATMs where still pretty new.) As many have said, the bank just made an adjustment to everyone's account and probably put a Seinfeldian black dot on those accounts

.

In a just world, the adjustment would have put them overdrawn and they would have paid a fee for their greed.

ThatGermanDude · #19 08-19-2009, 11:25 AM

If it happened to me without my prior knowledge that the machine is broken and there is no bank office next to the ATM I would just say hey it's my lucky day. I wouldn't be upset if they deducted the extra money from my account when they figure out what happened.

And if there is some immediate way to sort it out I'd go for that.

Stumbo · #20 08-19-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatGermanDude

And if there is some immediate way to sort it out I'd go for that.

How about going into the bank and giving the money back?