Found bank error - balance your accounts

[disneysteve]

For all of you who don't balance your checkbook because you figure the bank is always right, they aren't. I checked my latests statement last night and found a check that posted for the wrong amount. It wasn't a big deal - it was off by 50 cents - but it was still a mistake. I wrote a check for $700.50 and it posted to my account for $700.00 even. So the organization got shorted by $.50. I just called and they will process a correction and credit the missing money, but if I didn't balance the checkbook each month, I never would have known.

[Aleta]

Steve: What a coincidence. Saturday, I deposited a check also for dollar amount plus .50 and the $.50 didn't print out on my transaction slip. So, I went home and checked my copy of the check that was deposited along with the deposit slip and knew the bank had made the mistake. I always try to copy my transactions to the bank and this time I'm glad that I did.

Fifty cents here and fifty cents there; pretty soon we're talking about real money.

I always check my store receipts before I leave. I have found countless mistakes on them. Even when I use the self-check out at my grocer; I have been received less change back. You have to be vigilant.

[Ima saver]

I always balance my accounts also. A few months ago, they debited a check twice and I was out $60. I called the bank and they corrected it. They also transpose the numbers sometimes.

[Bonks22]

I was at a fast food restaurant where their POS system was offline so they started taking card numbers down to process later. It was only the sandwich I purchased but later I checked my online balance and they charged me for a full meal.

Just a week ago, same restaurant, I had a sandwich for $4.69. I put that into my spreadsheet. The transaction has since cleared but the amount online says $4.91. So I went back to my binder-clipped receipts to double check the real amount. Seems they overcharged me $0.22, and this was with a working POS system.

I go to the restaurant all the time so I haven't yet complained. Maybe the third time I will...

[disneysteve]

I was at a fast food restaurant where their POS system was offline so they started taking card numbers down to process later.

Just a week ago, same restaurant, I had a sandwich for $4.69.

amount online says $4.91. Seems they overcharged me $0.22, and this was with a working POS system.

I go to the restaurant all the time so I haven't yet complained. Maybe the third time I will...

No way would I give someone my card number to "process later." That's just asking for trouble. Who knows who might have copied down that list of account numbers.

As for the overcharge, you absolutely should be complaining to the restaurant and to your bank. That is complete and utter fraud. If they are doing it to you, they are probably doing it to dozens if not hundreds of other customers. That's twice you've been ripped off by the same place and you haven't complained. What are you waiting for? And why do you keep going back there?

[Aleta]

The small amount of change might not seem like much but if you multiply it by hundreds and even thousands of people being ripped off - it's quite a chuch of change for them. It's like making an extra .22 on a canned goods item.

[Scanner]

To be Devil's Advocate, isn't your time worth more than $.50 per half hour?

[disneysteve]

To be Devil's Advocate, isn't your time worth more than $.50 per half hour?

First, it doesn't take me half an hour to balance my checkbook. It takes maybe 10 minutes.

Second, this error happened to be for $.50. Other times, I've found errors (usually my own, not the bank's) that were for far more than $.50 and I was quite glad to have found them. Usually, they are times when I neglected to record a transaction so the balance in the checkbook register was off, making me think I had more money to spend that I really had. I always keep a buffer of a few thousand dollars in the account so it has never been a problem, but if I didn't catch the mistake while balancing the checkbook, it eventually would have been.

[Bonks22]

No way would I give someone my card number to "process later." That's just asking for trouble. Who knows who might have copied down that list of account numbers.

As for the overcharge, you absolutely should be complaining to the restaurant and to your bank. That is complete and utter fraud. If they are doing it to you, they are probably doing it to dozens if not hundreds of other customers. That's twice you've been ripped off by the same place and you haven't complained. What are you waiting for? And why do you keep going back there?

The truth to not complaining yet is (and I agree with Scanner), is that I'm just too busy with school and work (both full time). I keep going there because it's a great place for the food and my coworkers all go there. You do make a point though, about them taking down my credit card on paper (or those old school carbon copy things). I probably will start carrying cash...

Also, In the past year I've never found a wrong amount with my banks. I'm assuming this occurs more often when you write many checks. I normally swipe or bill online. Is this true?

[disneysteve]

Also, In the past year I've never found a wrong amount with my banks. I'm assuming this occurs more often when you write many checks. I normally swipe or bill online. Is this true?

I write 5-6 checks per month.

[MoD]

Thanks for posting, and good for you for going through the effort to get the organization the 50 cents.

[cptacek]

I don't think it is about $.50 or $50 or $500. I think that the business you are frequenting shouldn't steal from you. And, I think if you pay for something, you should pay the amount you agreed to (not less if they mess up - you should give them the opportunity to fix their mistake). In my mind, it is a question of integrity.

[disneysteve]

I don't think it is about $.50 or $50 or $500. I think that the business you are frequenting shouldn't steal from you. And, I think if you pay for something, you should pay the amount you agreed to (not less if they mess up - you should give them the opportunity to fix their mistake). In my mind, it is a question of integrity.

I agree. Besides, what point would there be in balancing my checkbook if I'm not going to correct any errors that I find.

[dmontngrey]

I had that happen several years ago with a check payment to DH's student loan. Of course the loan company said we were short by $0.XX. No kidding, but certainly not my fault as I had written the check out correctly. I would have had the proof to fight it, but they just added the amount due to the next payment. That's the only time I've ever seen anything like that.