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Always check your bank receipts

Posted Apr 06 2009, 05:17 PM by Donna Freedman
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On the way home from the doctor last week I stopped at the bank, planning to deposit a check in my account and $50 cash that my daughter asked me to drop into hers. I felt so lousy that I broke my own rule and used the drive-through lane.

The receipts came back to me in an envelope, which should have been a clue. It wasn't. (See "felt so lousy," above.) So I drove off without checking the contents.

At home, I opened the envelope to find my deposit receipt, my daughter's deposit receipt -- and the $50 in cash.

Immediately I called the bank to warn of a shortfall in the drive-through teller's cash drawer. The teller asked me to bring the money back before closing. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm sick and need to lie down," I replied. He told me that they'd take the $50 deposit-that-wasn't back out of my daughter's account.

Suppose she had planned to write a check on that? She would have been out of luck, that's what.

Normally I check the contents of bank envelopes, to make sure I got the right amount of cash back. This time, I hadn't expected to get cash -- just a couple of receipts. So the next time your deposit slips come back in an envelope, open it up for a quick peek. You may save yourself some hassle.

Related reading:

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How to pick the best online savings account

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Comments

 

Banks are a necessary evil, it seems.  I have had my own problems as well.  

I have been out of work for an extended period, and at one point my checking account fell into the "red".  The bank closed my account, terminated my Debit Card, and finally, put a "freeze on my check writing, limiting me to "Paying Bills Only".

Now, I have NO CHOICE but to use CASH at times like GROCERY SHOPPING, or any other time that I would have normally used a check.

Disturbed (Posted 04.06.09 5:49 PM ) Report Abuse

That should teach you a lesson NOT to return free cash. Why would you even call the bank when the error was in your favor and they had no proof?

warrior (Posted 04.06.09 6:08 PM ) Report Abuse

To warrior,

Because, that is called STEALING. I applaud the woman for taking the time to call the bank. How would she feel if the teller lost there job over a simple mistake.

Parman (Posted 04.06.09 6:17 PM ) Report Abuse

Geez Disturbed, the bank closed your account and took away your debit card because you were writing bad checks?  And Warrior, that is called stealing and the banks have proof.  There are cameras over the tellers that record everything they do so the cameras would show that no cash went in the drawer for that transaction.  Please give the banks a break.  Regular people work at them and sometimes they make mistakes.  At the teller level it is not a big conspiracy to rob you.

Dominique D. (Posted 04.06.09 6:20 PM ) Report Abuse

I agree 100%. The teller would be out the money. It has happened to me at stores and I always correct the teller. What if they shortchange you? It's only right.

Marcelino (Posted 04.06.09 6:36 PM ) Report Abuse

It goes back to what's right is right.  Honesty is the best policy.  

Hans (Posted 04.06.09 6:42 PM ) Report Abuse

I wouldn't have even *considered* hanging on to the money. It wasn't mine.

However, the bank manager told me that eventually they would have figured out where the mistake lay and would have debited the account.

But again: It wasn't my money. I couldn't have kept it.

Thanks for your comments, and for reading Smart Spending.

Best regards,

Donna Freedman

Donna Freedman (Posted 04.06.09 7:07 PM ) Report Abuse

i agree with all of you in terms of honesty is the best policy but what about the person who kept saying she was not feeling well... she was already honest and called in the money but she AGAIN was not feeling well and i do not like the way they treated her when she offered to return it the next day.  What if she had gotten into the car and fell ill and CRASHED!!! Now think about that people you try to do good and get kicked in the rare end for it.

Just my two cents

Msinim625 (Posted 04.06.09 7:10 PM ) Report Abuse

You could tell by the feeling of the thickness of the envelope that there was more then two receipts. Besides, many if not most drive thru tellers at the banks don't give you envelopes with a receipt in it, they just give you the recieipts.  It is a waste of paper and time to place the receipt in an envelope.

Keith Marsden (Posted 04.06.09 7:21 PM ) Report Abuse

I work for a Credit Union and we would have worked something out with the woman to return the money the next day.  Never would we have insisted that someone ill return before closing.  Plus, a teller that is out of balance can be written up or even fired.  It all depend upon the balance policy for the financial institution.

Also, in regards to Disturbed, on an overdrawn acct, we send weekly notices trying to get member to call or come in to make arrangements to pay back overdrawn accts but after 30 days (or shorter if overdrawn larger than $500) we will do the same as the above Disturbed stated.  We can't just let people just overdraw forever or for an unlimited amount.  

Mary Ann (Posted 04.06.09 7:59 PM ) Report Abuse

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