Man struggling financially kept ₹1.66 lakh after bank teller’s mistake, calls it his ‘personal bailout’

In a now-viral Reddit post, the man recounted that at the time, he had only ₹2,000 ($25) in his checking account and was struggling with a divorce, mortgage payments, and child support, The Hindustan Times report.

When he went to a bank to withdraw ₹8,300 ($100) in single bills, the teller mistakenly gave him ₹1.66 lakh ($2,000) in ₹1,660 ($20) bills instead of ₹83 ($1) bills.

“I took it and just left,” he admitted, explaining that he justified the act by likening it to government bank bailouts. “I figured that was my bailout money.”

He claimed the money was spent on essentials such as groceries and fuel. Acknowledging that it wasn’t a typical case of theft, he admitted, “I know I basically robbed the bank of ₹1.58 lakh.”

The incident reportedly took place two decades ago, and he noted that he was not a customer of the bank, making it impossible for them to track him.

His confession stirred mixed reactions online, with some sympathising while others criticised his actions.

“That’s not robbery. It’s barely even a crime. In Monopoly, this would be ‘bank error in your favor,’” one user wrote.

Another commented, “Sheesh brother that’s God if I’ve ever seen it.”

One user pointed out the potential consequences for the teller, writing, “I'm thinking she probably got fired.”

Another remarked, “That’s a heavy story, and honestly, the desperation is palpable. But yeah, that’s still stealing, even if it was an accidental overpayment.”