can we get away with this?

[scotty]

This is completely dishonest but very tempting... a very close relative deposited an amount of money several years ago in an investment bond . The most recent report has come back with an extra zero on the original amount invested. A phonecall to the company confirmed the amount [with the extra zero]. If we cashed it in are they likely to come and hunt us down!!!! What a delicious thought if only it were that simple.....someone please tell me it is and I'll buy you a drink in Rio .... Seriously these companies deal in billions of pounds are they really going to check on a mistake or do they have a slush fund to absorb any mistakes like this??

[joko]

if they have made an error in the first place and ask you for the cash back you could also claim that the withdrawal must be an error too - it must have messed up your account - because you know nothing about any extra money....

i'd take it out and sit on it for a while

also are we talking about 2,000 becomind 20,000 or 200,000 becoming 2,000,000?? if the latter, get to the bank sharpish and i'll be over to rio to visit you soon!!

[scotty]

LOL oh if only!!!!!

[advocate]

Hello Scotty, This is TOMCAT here, international advocate to discerning persons like yourself. After reading your distressful note, I have no choice but to interrupt my purring (sleep) to tell you as follows:

i) is the amount of money LARGEEEEE? Si, then grab da money and run. After all, Scotty, MOI, as yer lawyer will submit that it is the company's FAULT. In short, not you because you did not have any idea the money was not yours. HAHA.

ii) If the amount of money is not large, please DO NOT bother because crime ONLY pays if the amount is LARGEEE.

iii) As a good lawyer, I have to advise you that the best policy is ALWAYS to say "ON DA ADVICE OF MA LAWYER, TOMCAT, I HAVE NA COMMENT TO MAKE". In short, it is them who have to prove a case against you. If they made a "mistake", it is their problema. Needless to say you did not have any idea they made a "mistake" because you honestly believed the money belonged to your family. HAHA.

Now, Rio, is a great place and the senoritas, unlike the English ones, are HOT & Sexy. P.S. Do not forget to send me a ticket to Rio so that I can continue to offer ye my legal expertise. Kind Regards, TOMCAT XXX

[advocate]

Hello Scotty, This is TOMCAT here. Further to ma previous correspondence with ye (re: da money), I write to, as yer Lawyer, to submit the following point (s):

In law, if someone makes a mistake, it is up to them to prove they made a mistake and that the money belongs to them. As yer Lawyer, I submit that ma client, a right-thinking member of society, did not have any idea that the company concerned made a "mistake". Furthermore, ma right-thinking client at all times honestly believed da money belonged to him and/or his family. HAHA.

As far as da company asking for their money back is concerned, they may decide to ask for da money back, etc., but, as yer learned friend, I will submit that da money has gone with da wind (na trace of it cos I will open an offshore numbered bank account) and, since you have na money, ye can't pay. If ye acted honestly in believing that da money was yours and now ye can't pay, what is da company to do? HAHA.

An offshore numbered bank account offshore is outside UK jurisdiction and therefore out of reach of da courts in da UK. Furhermore, they don't have na idea where the account is and da account has na name - ONLY a number. HAHA.

As I said to ye before, you can't compare Rio with da UK cos Rio is full of charming beautiful hot senoritas and UK is full of boring/arrogant women who think they are men.

[Deedeepot]

Working for a bank I would suggest you admit the error - when it is noticed they are well within their rights to get the money back - law states no one should gain from an error and if you cannot proove you were expecting the money you could get done under the theft act for obtaining funds by wrongful credit - the banks are well covered - I wouldn't take the risk

[WendyS]

Well, if your relative takes the money and runs he/she probably won't get much pleasure out of it.

All the time they will be looking over their shoulder wondering whether the error has been discovered (and it inevitably will be sooner or later when the company's auditors do their annual audit) and there's going to be a knock on the door, or more likely a letter in the post. And if the money has been spent, there will probably be legal action to recover it. And if the money hasn't been spent (for fear of discovery) there wasn't much point in taking it in the first place, was there?

Best to be honest.