Bank accidentally gave me $400,000

[Onatreebyariver]

I just had a phone call from NatWest. They've accidentally credited my account with US $400,000 (an international payment)

I first thought it was some sort of scam but I have put the phone down and called NatWest back using the phone number on their website and spoke to the same woman -so it's definitely real. She said they'd like me to reply to their email giving them written confirmation that they can take the $400,000 back.

So... of course I will send the email and give them permission but just out of interest... what would happen if I said "this all sounds like a scam" and didn't reply to their email and used the money to pay off my mortgage :D

I know, I know, I have to give it back... but why are they even asking me, why don't they just take it?

Love how some people are still berating the op, claim she's lying and advising to go to the branch, after her update that she has been to the branch and it's all legit.

Btw @Onatreebyariver have you been to the branch yet?

Haha. Yep sounds like that Father Ted joke.

Glad it got sorted out OP.

I bet whoever made that mistake will be double, triple and quadruple checking transactions in the future. We sometimes do large transactions at work (not quite that large) and the fear of sending it to the wrong account is always lingering at the back of my mind

They'd have their work cut out trying to get a hold of me , I never answer to strange numbers

filledsoda the OP said it was a business account, you'd not be a very good business if you didn't answer the phone to numbers you didn't know.

OP - I suspect the people who don't believe you don't have experience of business bank accounts and large sums of money moving around, I have personal knowledge of large bank payments being sent to the wrong account, it's not that uncommon if I have come across multiple instances.

As a matter of interest, would the OP’s bank account be frozen- ie would she otherwise be able to take (some of) the money and run?

At his funeral, the vicar told us that my uncle was the only person he had ever known who had had £500,000 put into his account by accident.
Very few of us knew of this, my cousin explained it and told us he almost had to beg for the money to be removed from the account, then threatened if it wasn't removed my uncle would be using the proceeds to have one hell of a holiday.

So accidents can and do happen.

Why do banks, given that they know about scams like these and how phishing works, still phone or e mail customers? The number of times the bank has phoned me and then asked for info to verify who I am. Each time I refuse to give details and say that I will call them back. Each time it's been genuine but how on earth can customers work out who is genuine and who is a scammer?

Many years ago Midland Bank mistakenly credited £2m to the firm's account on a Friday. My boss quickly transferred it to the interest earning account so earned interest over the weekend before the bank requested it back on the Monday. Before email fortunately.

Could be a scam OP. Go to your branch

Just be sure there are no charges and that the exact amount is debited back out - not $400,000 at today's rate. Charge could be put through accidentally so keep an eye on account for a couple of days.