A German bank employee narrowly avoided a financial disaster after nodding off at his workstation.
While engaged in his routine task of transferring funds, the clerk inadvertently fell asleep.
This was not just a typical desk nap, as the bank employee soon discovered.
During a transaction of 64.20 euros, he fell asleep with his finger still pressing the number two key on his keyboard.
This led to a significant amount being entered into the system, which was then forwarded to his supervisor.
The supervisor, employed at the bank since 1986, did not notice the exorbitant figure while processing the day’s transactions, having reviewed 812 documents for errors.
This oversight resulted in her termination, as the bank argued she failed to adequately verify transactions before approval.
Fortunately for both parties, the erroneous amount of $234,164,444.44 (222,222,222.22 euros) was identified by another employee, who corrected the mistake before it was finalized.
Subsequent to the incident, a court found no ill intent in the supervisor’s actions, ruling her dismissal unfair. The court mandated her reinstatement, stating that her employment contract should not have been terminated.
This incident prompted a flurry of reactions on social media, mostly humorous takes on the situation.
One person quipped, “Imagine seeing your bank balance up 200+ million.”
Another jested, “Plot twist, the bank clerk was a cat that sat on the keyboard.”
Some people criticized the bank’s response, asserting, “Firing someone over a mistake is always stupid.”
While this error could have been advantageous for the recipient, incidents like this are not unprecedented.
Consider the case of Sibongile Mani, a student at Walter Sisulu University in South Africa, who mistakenly received nearly $1 million in her bank account.
Her windfall was short-lived as she quickly spent the funds on luxury items before being reported to authorities and arrested in 2017 for fraud and theft.
Therefore, if you ever find unexpected funds in your account, notify your bank, and resist the temptation to spend it.