Received a cheque for the wrong amount

The Troll · 01-11-2005 02:34PM #1

Company i got the cheque shall remain nameless. basically, i wa s meant to get a cheque for 30 euro but instead got a cheque for 1300. I lodged it in my a/c today. Assuming it clears without problems, is the company that gave me the cheque able to get the money back? They're a huge corporation and as a result i don't really have much of a conscience about the issue.

ferdi · 01-11-2005 02:36PM

my old job paid me a few 100euros too much one month.

they said nothing, so i said nothing.

Diarmsquid · 01-11-2005 02:37PM

Nice!

Canis Lupus · 01-11-2005 02:40PM

The Troll wrote:

Company i got the cheque shall remain nameless. basically, i wa s meant to get a cheque for 30 euro but instead got a cheque for 1300. I lodged it in my a/c today. Assuming it clears without problems, is the company that gave me the cheque able to get the money back? They're a huge corporation and as a result i don't really have much of a conscience about the issue.

You're stealing. Pure and simple. Your mother hopefully taught you better than that.

monkeyfudge · 01-11-2005 02:42PM

My job owes me 11 days wages... but they insist I owe them 3 days wages...

I hate money...

rubadub · 01-11-2005 02:43PM

Canis Lupus wrote:

You're stealing. Pure and simple. Your mother hopefully thought you better than that.

I hope your english teacher taught you better than that.

If they cop it, just plead ignorance. They probably can demand it back, same as banks who put money in wrong. Though there is something weird with cheques I think, i.e. if you lose them I dont think they have to give another.

sportswear · 01-11-2005 02:44PM

The thing about it is the only person who is going to realise that you got too much is the person who &*$%ed up, some person in payroll, and its unlikely that they will ring you up etc as they will get in trouble for the massive muck up they performed.

So I reckon even if they do find out it will be kept hush, esp. if its a large corp

Canis Lupus · 01-11-2005 02:46PM

rubadub wrote:

I hope your english teacher taught you better than that.

I'm impressed....

joejoem · 01-11-2005 02:46PM

The Troll wrote:

Company i got the cheque shall remain nameless. basically, i wa s meant to get a cheque for 30 euro but instead got a cheque for 1300. I lodged it in my a/c today. Assuming it clears without problems, is the company that gave me the cheque able to get the money back? They're a huge corporation and as a result i don't really have much of a conscience about the issue.

I say let it sit there for two months, if nothings said, spend it.

Baldie · 01-11-2005 02:46PM

Is it really stealing though? He/she didn't take it, it was given to him/her...

I worked 2.5 hours overtime one week and got paid for 52.50 hours.... Said nothing, got drunk!!!

Siogfinsceal · 01-11-2005 02:46PM

legally if a company pays you too much it is their problem and they cannot demand it back (although sometimes they do try this). my mate got paid too much once and the company took it back she found out after that she didnt have to. ask a solicitor if you know one or a law lecturer? as for it being stealing - god get over it they are a huge company i wouldnt feel bad at all

BossArky · 01-11-2005 02:53PM

A friend of mine once had a bank accidently transfer a heap of money (a few hundred - cannot remember) into her account. Once they found out they asked her to pay it back, but over time so it wasn't too bad. She did spent it though, so was kinda pissed off.

If the company transferred the money to you then perhaps it will get lost in their accounts info... the only reason the bank copped on with my friend was cos the person who was supposed to received the money must have kicked up a fuss when they didn't receive it.

Good luck with it! I reckon leave it in the bank for 3 months and then the coast would seem clear enough.

monkeyfudge · 01-11-2005 02:54PM

Yeah.. and try to do all your shoplifting in major highstreet stores.

Canis Lupus · 01-11-2005 02:55PM

Baldie wrote:

Is it really stealing though? He/she didn't take it, it was given to him/her...

Well, as my mom taught (remembered this time rubadub) me as a child. Don't take what isn't yours. It's a simple concept and I tend to agree with it. The fact that it was a "company" that made the mistake isn't relevant in my eyes.

Red Alert · 01-11-2005 02:55PM

if it's a company gave you a cheque and the cheque clears that's it. there is nothing the bank can do for them, same as you can't go back and demand the bank pays you for overpaying tesco or dunnes (they'd laugh you out of it).

enjoy!

The Troll · 01-11-2005 03:01PM

Red Alert wrote:

if it's a company gave you a cheque and the cheque clears that's it. there is nothing the bank can do for them, same as you can't go back and demand the bank pays you for overpaying tesco or dunnes (they'd laugh you out of it).

enjoy!

Cool. That's what I wanted to hear.

As for the morality of the whole thing, i'm not really bothered. I have my fair share of good karma built up at this stage. Whether or not it can be seen as stealing is subjective.

Washout · 01-11-2005 03:03PM

what if they ring you and say they made a mistake, if the cheque clears. are you willing to acknowledge it and refund them?

Sifo · 01-11-2005 03:04PM

well it's kinda like stealing but in a Robin Hood type of way.. they wont miss it!

Mimikyu · 01-11-2005 03:05PM

This post has been deleted.

Siogfinsceal · 01-11-2005 03:07PM

noooo dont refund it!!

joejoem · 01-11-2005 03:08PM

Siogfinsceal wrote:

noooo dont do it!!

Do it

MrJoeSoap · 01-11-2005 03:10PM

Why don't you split it amongst everyone who has posted in this thread and we'll mind it for you until the coast is clear.

Call it boards-laundering...

Canis Lupus · 01-11-2005 03:10PM

The Troll wrote:

As for the morality of the whole thing, i'm not really bothered. I have my fair share of good karma built up at this stage. Whether or not it can be seen as stealing is subjective.

Indeed. It's no skin off my nose if you keep it or not. I just hope someone in the payroll department doesn't get in serious **** over the incident.

Your lack of common decency may end up costing someone real instead of a faceless company.

Nuff said by me on this subject now I think.

robinph · 01-11-2005 03:10PM

It's just the same as the Monoply card 'Bank error in your favour collect £10'. There isn't another card where they ask for that money back, so on that evidence I'd say your OK to pocket it.

whiskeyman · 01-11-2005 03:13PM

Siogfinsceal wrote:

legally if a company pays you too much it is their problem and they cannot demand it back (although sometimes they do try this). my mate got paid too much once and the company took it back she found out after that she didnt have to. ask a solicitor if you know one or a law lecturer? as for it being stealing - god get over it they are a huge company i wouldnt feel bad at all

That's rubbish.
If a company pays to much they can legally request it back - FACT.
(This comes up many times on the work thread).

They usually dont demand back stright away and will come to an agreement with the employee as to how they can pay it back (via monthly installments).

However, it this case it seems the company havent noticed it...... yet.
You can "keep it" only to the extent they never find out about it.
If, however, they find out about (audit or some other backcheck) you have to return it.

employment law wrote:

An employer may not make deductions from your wages unless:

*They are required by law, for example, PAYE and social insurance (PRSI),
*They are provided for in the contract of employment, for example occupational pension contributions.
*They are made with your written consent, for example, trade union subscriptions
*They are to recover an overpayment of wages or expenses

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/employment/pay_and_employment/pay_slip.html

The Troll · 01-11-2005 03:17PM

whiskeyman wrote:

That's rubbish.
If a company pays to much they can legally request it back - FACT.
(This comes up many times on the work thread).

They usually dont demand back stright away and will come to an agreement with the employee as to how they can pay it back (via monthly installments).

However, it this case it seems the company havent noticed it...... yet.
You can "keep it" only to the extent they never find out about it.
If, however, they find out about (audit or some other backcheck) you have to return it.

Just to clear up any confusion, this isn't my employer that has made this error. perhaps if i was working in a child labour factory in Indonesia I might be receiving a cheque for the princely sum of €30 from my boss.

If the people i work for made a mistake i'd give it back.

In this case, if i'm legally entitled to keep the money i will, regardless of whether they ask me for it back or not.

The Troll · 01-11-2005 03:18PM

Can anyone say without speculating whether i can keep the money legally?

dundalk cailin · 01-11-2005 03:19PM

just hope that u dont get caught out and enjoy it

(sorry i dont know if you can legally keep it)

whiskeyman · 01-11-2005 03:21PM

The Troll wrote:

Can anyone say without speculating whether i can keep the money legally?

You can't keep it legally if they request it back.
If they wish, they will take you to court over it.

Next time you go to the shops and buy €10 worth of goods and hand over €50 note... do you think they can keep the €50 without giving you back the difference?

If you drive your car on someone elses property, do you think they can claim it as their own and not give it back?

As I said, the only way you can "keep" it is if they dont notice it...

xzanti · 01-11-2005 03:33PM

Same thing happened to me a few years back... was working for a big clothing chain and they over paid me by about €630 the week I was leaving and I thought it was holiday pay... came back from holiday and there was a note in my door telling me to go to the post office and sign for a registered letter and to my horror it was the company telling me about the mix up and giving me an envelope to send back the balance in the post... Unfortunately I was out of work at the time and flat broke after my holiday so I ignored it... they started sending me solicitors letters in my door, each more threatening than the last until I eventually got a credit union loan and paid it back.. A lot of people said not to pay it as it was their error etc.. but I couldnt keep ignoring the letters, I was told my name would be put in the Stubbs Gazzet etc if I didnt pay up... IMO its not worth the hassel..

ferdi · 01-11-2005 03:37PM

its not 'keeping' the money that came your way, its just a case of 'not doing anything about it'

Received a cheque for the wrong amount

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