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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you return the money?

165 replies

GottaGetDownOnFriday · 05/09/2020 03:48

Re: this news story about a cleaner who was accidentally refunded £90,000 instead of £9.
metro.co.uk/2020/09/02/cleaner-sent-90000-by-charity-in-error-let-temptation-get-the-better-off-her-13215404/

Would you have returned the money in her position?

YABU - I would have returned the money.

YANBU - I would have kept the money if I could.

I think I would return it, as it was from a charity so I would feel horribly guilty keeping it and I would worry about getting caught anyway, but I'd probably let it sit in my account for a day or two first whilst wrestling with my conscience.

I'm just curious to see what others would do. I have a lot of sympathy for this woman even though she was clearly in the wrong.

OP posts:
JenniferSantoro · 05/09/2020 08:34

Of course the money should be returned, no matter who it belongs to. It’s about having ethics and morals.

sonjadog · 05/09/2020 08:36

It was obvious that they weren´t just going to let that amount disappear and that they would trace it up. She was stupid to think otherwise.

SonjaMorgan · 05/09/2020 08:39

I would always return it regardless of who credited my account. It isn't a gift but an error.

lyralalala · 05/09/2020 08:44

@Tomatoesneedtoripen

two staff were dismissed which was appalling.
How can you say it was appalling without knowing the circumstances?

For all you know it could have been the umpteenth time they made the same error by being careless or not following proper procedure.

Coffeecak3 · 05/09/2020 08:45

I would return it because it’s not mine. Not because it’s a charity.
A lot of high street charities are ruthless and treat unpaid staff very poorly.

Tomatoesneedtoripen · 05/09/2020 08:45

the staff, were they volunteers?
they normally are?

Hahaha88 · 05/09/2020 08:45

@Tomatoesneedtoripen of course they would tell you to ring tax credits, the bank won't know why tax credits gave you the money or if it was valid. If you didn't, and spent it, of course they were going to take it back.

Lots of people return stuff to a charity shop. Many people buy from them because they can't afford to buy brand new, if it doesn't fit (you can't try on at the moment) or it doesn't work, why would you think they could afford to be out of pocket. And even if they can afford to why should they. Most people who buy in charity shops are likely to donate as well anyways so the charity will prob get more from them in donations than the refunded amount.

I don't even know why this is a question. Surely the answer is you report it. How terrible a person do you have to be to steal 90k from a charity

KeepingPlain · 05/09/2020 08:46

She's scum in my opinion. Only scum would steal from a charity and it is theft. It wasn't her money very obviously. Hope she's lost her job now, I would sack her for that.

Tomatoesneedtoripen · 05/09/2020 08:46

sorry, i mean the bank told me to contact tax credits and give back the money!

DipSwimSwoosh · 05/09/2020 08:48

You have to. Otherwise you risk being in lots of trouble. I'd be too worried.

HappyTuesdays · 05/09/2020 08:50

I would take steps to return money transferred in error - contact the bank, contact the organisation etc. That's all you have to do though.

Years ago I worked for an organisation that was really badly run. There was a spate of wages going out two/three times instead of once to a number of staff. They all contacted the employer to query and were told there's no problem, no error, nothing to worry about. Then months down the line the employer worked out that there had been a series of errors and demanded the money back. Ofc a lot of it had gone by then because people were told it was all fine. It ended up going to court but the employer lost because it was their mistake both initially and crucially subsequently when they told staff all was well.

Obviously this doesn't apply here but it's maybe worth pointing out that in some cases it's perfectly legal to keep money you receive in error as long as you do what you can to return it.

Walkaround · 05/09/2020 08:54

No, I would not steal £90,000.

Nomorepies · 05/09/2020 08:55

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request.

Hahaha88 · 05/09/2020 08:56

@Tomatoesneedtoripen ahhh I see. What did tax credits say

Peachy1381 · 05/09/2020 08:58

Morally returning it is the right thing to do. But putting the fact its a charity aside, someone is always going to notice £90k is missing. You'd never get away with it, and in fact this woman didn't.

Ilikeviognier · 05/09/2020 08:59

Wow. I’m shocked there is any ambiguity here!

Of course you should return it!!!!

SparePantsAndLego · 05/09/2020 08:59

Yes I’d 100% return it. I’d probably consider not returning it for a nanosecond when I saw my balance, that’s a crazy amount!
I think it’s despicable that she went to lengths to hide it.

lifestooshort123 · 05/09/2020 09:00

I'm surprised at the people who would only return it because they might get caught. Taking something that's not yours is theft whoever it's from. Perhaps some moral compasses need resetting.

Tomatoesneedtoripen · 05/09/2020 09:02

[quote Hahaha88]@Tomatoesneedtoripen ahhh I see. What did tax credits say[/quote]
tax credits made a mistake, and luckily for me, i didnt have to pay it back all it one go, because i had used it to pay off credit cards!
i had to pay back for the next 10+ years

PleasantVille · 05/09/2020 09:06

@BrummyMum1

I think it’s difficult to judge unless you’re this cleaner and know her own personal circumstances. I’m not saying it’s right and I’d definitely refund the money but if she’s taking charity shop clothes back for a £9 refund then that tells us something about her own personal financial circumstances and £90,000 would probably be a life changing amount for her and her family.
All it tells us it that she bought something that for some reason want suitable, how do you get from that to having any sympathy for her?

Are we not meant to return things to charity shops?

bruffin · 05/09/2020 09:07

@Tomatoesneedtoripen

the staff, were they volunteers? they normally are?
It doesn't make any difference if they were volunteers or not. I worked for a charity and they had to get rid of a volunteer who did the payroll. She had been in HR for a very major company. She wrongly calculated my wages twice and refused to correct it, She discussed people's salary on the phone in middle of the office And lots of other things went on, she was asked to leave in the end and we paid for a payroll service. Some volunteers do more harm than good

As for the 2 dismissed, it does say they were dismissed after investigation

Stepawayfromtheminirolls · 05/09/2020 09:09

The reverse happened to me once - on holiday in a country that was new to chip and pin cards a €20 restaurant bill became a €920 one! I didn't realise until I got home, and was absolutely shitting myself! Luckily, the restaurant owner was both honest and mortified, when I called him in a panic he was so glad I'd contacted him.

NailsNeedDoing · 05/09/2020 09:10

I really can’t see why this woman deserves your sympathy, she knowingly stole from a charity!

LaurieFairyCake · 05/09/2020 09:20

I would return any other institution apart from a bank the money

If it was a bank I'd never spend it until whatever the statute of time (not even sure there is one) had passed so they couldn't prosecute me

I've clearly wakened with loose morals today Grin

slashlover · 05/09/2020 09:29

As for the 2 dismissed, it does say they were dismissed after investigation

Charity shops have paid staff so they 100% know that someone will be in to open the shop/someone is responsible etc. If the bank found the error on the Monday that means that proper end of day procedures were not followed or that checks were not done.