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Post by Decatur on Jan 15, 2009 8:51:38 GMT -5
Couple: We didn't notice $175,000 bank error
Cops arrest pair who allegedly bought home when cash appeared in account
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - A Pennsylvania couple is behind bars after police say they failed to call the bank when a glitch put an extra $175,000 in their account.
Authorities say 50-year-old Randy Pratt and 36-year-old Melissa Pratt instead withdrew the money, quit their jobs and moved to Florida.
They were buying a house in the Orlando area when the mistake was traced.
The two were arraigned Tuesday on theft and other charges and jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail. A public defender was being assigned.
A $1,772.50 deposit showed up in their FNB Bank account last summer as $177,250.
Police say Melissa Pratt said her husband, a roofing installer, often got large checks and she wasn't aware of any error.
IDIOTS!
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jan 15, 2009 9:03:04 GMT -5
Working in the banking industry I see this stuff all the time. It just amazes me what people think they can get away with.
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Jan 15, 2009 13:12:32 GMT -5
Poof! And it's gone............
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Post by drgreyhound on Jan 15, 2009 14:42:10 GMT -5
'Course we didn't notice!  |
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Post by cambygsp on Jan 16, 2009 8:24:07 GMT -5
So someone mistakenly gives you 150,000.00 and you go to jail for not telling them they made a mistake?
Sorry but I don't agree!
I understand the situation was a mistake and I think most folks would have called the bank and straightened it out....HOWEVER how does it become a criminal matter if you don't?
I think at best the bank has a civil case with this couple...but criminal charges are a bit excess!
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Post by trapperdave on Jan 16, 2009 9:36:24 GMT -5
I couldnt agree more Cambygsp!
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Post by Decatur on Jan 16, 2009 9:57:29 GMT -5
I had a similar, although much smaller, experience once. I had gotten a $100 savings bond for a graduation gift. About 4 years later, after buying my house, I needed some cash, so I cashed in the bond. Never having one before I didn't blink an eye when the bank gave $100. About a week later, after spending the money, my bank sent me a nasty letter saying I had 2 business days to pay back the $50+/- dollars I had "taken" from the bank. I was hot! I called them and gave them a piece of my mind, and paid them back about 3 weeks later.
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Post by trapperdave on Jan 16, 2009 10:09:38 GMT -5
shoulda told em to beat feet. They made the mistake, though I dont know how. They have a chart showing what those are worth year by year.
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Post by 76chevy on Jan 16, 2009 11:56:30 GMT -5
must have been an EE bond, those are worth face value ($100 in your case) at maturity 30 years down the road ;D now they sell I bonds which are sold at face value I had a similar, although much smaller, experience once. I had gotten a $100 savings bond for a graduation gift. About 4 years later, after buying my house, I needed some cash, so I cashed in the bond. Never having one before I didn't blink an eye when the bank gave $100. About a week later, after spending the money, my bank sent me a nasty letter saying I had 2 business days to pay back the $50+/- dollars I had "taken" from the bank. I was hot! I called them and gave them a piece of my mind, and paid them back about 3 weeks later. |
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Post by Decatur on Jan 16, 2009 14:10:30 GMT -5
I'm sure it was an EE. I left that bank shortly there after for giving me a $20 NSF fee for a $.43 overdraw, my first ever. Never even called me and said "hey, can you bring us $.43 by the end of business?". It was a home town bank, that has since been bought out and dissolved.
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Post by 76chevy on Jan 16, 2009 17:53:13 GMT -5
wow, no wonder they went out of business, that's not how to treat a customer... =) I'm sure it was an EE. I left that bank shortly there after for giving me a $20 NSF fee for a $.43 overdraw, my first ever. Never even called me and said "hey, can you bring us $.43 by the end of business?". It was a home town bank, that has since been bought out and dissolved. |
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Post by bsutravis on Jan 16, 2009 21:35:47 GMT -5
Make 'em pay the money back......but to lock them up is too far IMO. The things people get away with these days are way more criminal than what this couple did.
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Post by scrub-buster on Jan 20, 2009 1:25:00 GMT -5
They will probably end up doing more time in jail than a guy that robs a gas station with a weapon.
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Post by TagTeamHunter on Jan 20, 2009 1:37:41 GMT -5
They will probably end up doing more time in jail than a guy that robs a gas station with a weapon. Maybe due to the amount. B.S. they didn't know. |
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Post by TagTeamHunter on Jan 20, 2009 1:39:01 GMT -5
They will probably end up doing more time in jail than a guy that robs a gas station with a weapon. Maybe due to the amount. We are talking about a large sum of money. With this amount isn't it a felony? How can you miss 175K increase in your bank account? |
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Post by cambygsp on Jan 20, 2009 5:01:29 GMT -5
They will probably end up doing more time in jail than a guy that robs a gas station with a weapon. Maybe due to the amount. We are talking about a large sum of money. With this amount isn't it a felony? How can you miss 175K increase in your bank account? AGAIN! This was the banks error not the couples. You go to walmart and pay for your purchase with a $10.00, the cashier gives you your change for a $20.00......are you breaking a law by not alerting the cashier to their mistake? |
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jan 20, 2009 8:56:10 GMT -5
I do agree that jail time is going way overboard here.
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Post by Decatur on Jan 20, 2009 9:18:15 GMT -5
I think a "token" jail sentence is in order. Just enough to keep them honest in the future and to set an example.
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Post by tickman1961 on Jan 20, 2009 9:48:22 GMT -5
They are liars and theives.....
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Post by TagTeamHunter on Jan 20, 2009 10:47:26 GMT -5
Maybe due to the amount. We are talking about a large sum of money. With this amount isn't it a felony? How can you miss 175K increase in your bank account? AGAIN! This was the banks error not the couples. You go to walmart and pay for your purchase with a $10.00, the cashier gives you your change for a $20.00......are you breaking a law by not alerting the cashier to their mistake? I made no judgments in my comments only asked questions: Is it a felony due to the amount involved? How can you miss 175K increase in your account? Remember the couple said that they didn't notice the increase. But to go along with your example: You hand over some pants to be dry cleaned; you forget and leave your wallet in the pocket; so your mistake right? So now I have the right to your wallet? Or are you going to argue "intent" the intent was to get your pants cleaned and not be "cleaned out". So would you want your wallet back and any monies that were in it? If the cleaner spent the money would you press charges? |
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