25 March 2022 9:57

If my bank were to erroneously deposit $5,000 in my account, how long would they have to catch the mistake before the money became legally mine


How long does a bank have to correct a deposit error?

Your bank’s deposit account agreement will specify how long it should take to correct a deposit error. Generally, banks have 10 business days to investigate a report of an error on a consumer bank account, but it may take as long as 45 days to complete an investigation.

What happens if a bank pays money into your account by mistake?

Unfortunately, the money isn’t yours unless you made the deposit or if someone else made the deposit on your behalf. The only time you can keep money that is deposited into your account is when the deposit was intended to be made into your account. So, if the deposit was a mistake, you can’t keep the money.

Can I keep money accidentally paid into my account?

In a nutshell, no.

Legally, if a sum of money is accidentally paid into your bank or savings account and you know it doesn’t belong to you, then you must pay it back.

How long does it take for money to bounce back from a wrong account?

Within 10 business days: the funds will be returned to you. However, if the unintended recipient withdraws the funds, then you may not get the payment back. Between 10 business days and seven months: the recipient’s bank will freeze the funds.

Can I sue my bank for their mistake?

If there are many individuals with the same grievances, banks and other financial institutions can be sued through class-action lawsuits. Beyond filing a lawsuit, you have the option of filing a complaint with a government agency about your concern with the bank, which can still result in you getting financial relief.

Can your bank reverse a payment?

A payment reversal is a situation in which funds from a transaction are returned to the cardholder’s bank account. A payment reversal can be carried out by several different methods and can be initiated by a cardholder, merchant, acquiring or issuing bank, or the card network.

How long does it take for a payment to be returned?

Refunds on credit card purchases usually take 7 days. Credit card refund times vary by merchant and bank, with some taking a few days and others taking a few months.