Legal procedures when a bank teller makes an error...?

Question

Ok. Here is the scenario: I went to the bank a while back to cash a $50 check. I don't have an account there, but the woman who wrote the check does, so it was okay to cash it. Anyway, the teller was really distracted--barely even looked at me cause she was chatting with someone else in line- and accidentally gave me $500 (she gave 5 hundred dollar bills instead of 5 tens). Now, before anyone jumps on this, let me just say: I know the money is not mine and I know that I need to return it.

Anyway, I didn't look at the money, I just added the money to the envelope of money I was saving for my vacation. The bank called me when I was already two states away demanding that I return it. I explained to them that I was not in town, but would gladly return the money when I got home. They were not very happy with that and started ranting and raving about legal action--even though I told them that I would come in and return the money as soon as possible.

What I want to know is: are these procedures (all of which they did) legal?

1. They called a friend of mine (I had deposited into his account at the same time) TWICE to get contact information for me-once for my phone number, once for my address.

2. They called the check-writer, told her that $500 was taken from her account and that it would stay out of her account until I returned it to try to get her to contact me.

3. They put a hold on MY ROOMMATES savings account because we have the same address.

Again, I want you all to know that I am more than willing to give the money back. But, I am sick of being treated like a criminal here. I want to know whether they crossed any boundaries so I know how to approach them about this matter.

It is Wells Fargo Bank, if that helps at all.

Answer 1

From the bank's point of view, you 'stole' the $450 (even though the error was theirs).

Are there any Wells Fargo branchs in your vacation spot?  If do, then you can co-ordinate with the original branch and a local branch to give the $450 back.

I do not believe that the bank has a case to put a hold on your roommates account - have them threaten a lawsuit against the bank.

Answer 2

1.) Yes

2.) Probably

3.) I would have to say this seems a bit strange unless you are a signer on the account or she is a signer on your account.

I don't understand how you could not have noticed that you got $500 instead of $50.00.  If you return the money soon everything will be fine on your end because the leagal process takes time.  I doubt they would go through that much trouble for a $450 loss though.  I bet you would have noticed if you get 5 $1 bills.