A good point was made too though, the bank will get their money. Each transaction is logged, and the bank knows how much money was dispensed and to whom. They even have you recorded using the machine to prove it was indeed you. Better to go ahead and return it than have the police knock on your door with an arrest warrant.

I agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, there are many who would look at this like another payday, and end up getting into a lot of trouble over it.

Another issue not mentioned yet - reporting it can actually help others because you are not allowing more people to get into this ethical dilemma in the first place.

In the end, reporting it is the right thing to do, but it also helps the ATM owner, banks, and customers. An all-around win in my book.

In the end, It isn’t about believing in Karma or anything like that. I just believe in living an honest life, because living a false one is too hard. Like others have pointed out, it can actually have negative consequences on you if you don’t turn it in and the problem is discovered, so why ever worry about the situation in the first place.

Jerry

Stacey, I agree, the bank will have records of all the transactions during this period and will take corrective action. Unfortunately, some of the people who decided not to report the incident would have spent the money as though it was free, and would end up with a little shock at the end.

I have had the same experience as Blaine and had two 10 Pound notes stick together from a cash point when I was in the UK. The bank was 2 blocks away, so I walked over and returned the extra note to a surprised teller. Ten Pounds isn’t much in the grand scheme of things - but it is the right thing to do.

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

Then again, I’ve been in a similar situation as Anon where I didn’t realize that I’d made out until well afterwards, and it would have cost me more to go back than I would be returning so I didn’t bother.

Once I was halfway home from the grocery store and I realized they gave me $5 too much. Normally, I’d give it back, but I was already on the road and I decided not to bother. The next day I left a tip in a tip jar at a smoothie shop. I meant to leave $1, but instead I accidently put in the $5. Obviously I wasn’t going to fish it out, but after I sat down the people working there were talking excitedly about how someone put $5 in the tip jar. Definitely made me a believer in karma, and I was relieved that the $5 was out of my hands, and going to some kids who were probably working for minimum wage.