WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU UNEXPECTEDLY FIND EXTRA MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT?
If you find yourself with an unexpected financial windfall in the form of a deposit you didn't make, you may be wondering if you are entitled to keep the money. This is the time when all of your friends suddenly become armchair lawyers, giving you all sorts of differing advice. 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. It's as simple as that.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU USE MONEY THAT WASN'T YOURS?
Cases abound of people who have received erroneous deposits and then spent some, most or all the money and found themselves facing criminal charges. People did various things with the money, from moving it to other accounts to gain interest, investing it, buying cars, helping relatives with bills, or giving to charity. Criminal charges varied by state, but basically amounted to theft of property lost by mistake and receiving stolen property, even in cases where the money went for good or noble causes.
Dust is not money. Dust is a virtual commodity. If I find a crate of Cheetos in a ditch, I can try to track down who left them there and try to return them, but I am also within my rights to eat them since they appear to have been abandoned.
However, these particular Cheetos have a tracking device in every bag, and the people who made the Cheetos know exactly where they are at all times. They also have the ability to teleport the Cheetos back to the warehouse -- even if you have already eaten them. They will pull the sustenance from the cells of your body, leaving you hungrier than you've ever been in your life.
This cheetos example had me laughing for 5 minutes ;P