Bank errors do still happen, in spite of all the software and automation that takes place. In fact, it is sometimes due to those things that the bank errors happen. Other times, it is thanks to the “fat-finger errors” that can happen. Well, a definite bank error happened last week that led to a woman finding almost $1 billion in her Chase account!
Woman Finds $1 Billion in Her Chase Account
Julia Yonkowski of Largo, Florida had gone to withdraw $20 from her account and the ATM told her that it could give it but it would cause an overdraft. When she checked her account, she found that there was actually $999,985,855.94.
I am assuming that there was some glitch that was just showing that amount since her account warned her that the $20 withdrawal from that account would have kicked in an overdraft fee.
After this happened, on Saturday, Julia did not touch her account again. She is a bit afraid that something is happening that could compromise the money she does have and has been unable, over the weekend, to reach someone at Chase that can help her with this.
Media outlets reached out to Chase as well and received nothing back from them. You can bet that they aren’t going to say a word, likely even to Julia (who planned to go into the Chase branch yesterday, Monday, to talk to someone) until they resolve this glitch. The money belongs somewhere and it is obviously in the wrong place, even if just on electronic means right now.
Good for Julia being proactive about getting this glitch cleared up. I am sure there are more than a few people that would try to withdraw as much of that $1 billion as they could and just leave. This would certainly get the police and FBI after them. In fact, a young man from Georgia took $30,000 from a bank error and bought a BMW – and ended up being given a 10 year probation (thanks to Erika in the comments for the correction).
Hopefully she doesn’t lose what belongs to her and that Chase does something to reward her for trying to get this taken care of quickly and bringing it to their attention – even if it is like 10,000 Ultimate Reward points. 🙂
Source: WFLA
There is also a woman on social media showing a negative $50 billion balance, so it all evens out.
https://www.dailydot.com/debug/chase-bank-50-billion-debt-glitch/
Why did the man show took $30,000 get 10 years in prison? Why couldn’t he just return the money and not face prosecution?
It is a good question – they probably treated it as grand larceny and fraud since he knowingly took the money and bought something with it. Maybe he tried to run with it, too? Not too sure but it does seem odd that there was not a deal that could have been made (though maybe they finally did – I just had remembered reading about it at the time).
The information here doesnt appear accurate. He got 10 years probation. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2988988/Georgia-teen-splurged-BMW-30-000-intended-Vietnam-veteran-ordered-pay-money-back.html
Thanks. 10 years jail certainly seems a bigger crime than spending unearned money. 10 years probation sounds reasonable.
Thanks for the update/correction!
I found the source story. He got 10 years probation, not 10 years. Still seems heavy handed though.
“What’s all the fuss about me stealing your car, I gave it back!”
I’ve had a negative $100m balance in a Bask Bank account before. I sent a wire for $1.25m and was supposed to have a $100k balance. It wasn’t corrected until a day later.
isn’t it the banks responsibility to not have fat fingers and to put money where it belongs ?
It is, but if the person takes it, knowing it was a mistake, that becomes a crime.
[…] Bank Error in Your Favor: Woman Finds $1 BILLION in Her Chase Account by Running With Miles. […]
Remember the rule:
If you owe your bank 10 thousand dollars, you have a problem.
If you owe your bank 10 million dollars, your bank has a problem.
[…] Woman woke up to find $1 billion in her Chase account Another customer found themselves with $50 billion, […]