Some pocketed hundreds after withdrawing the maximum of £300 on multiple cards and getting the same amount again each time for free. The problem arose after an employee accidentally loaded the £10 tray with £20 notes. It was not revealed how much money had been lost or how many people had taken out cash.
It's not the first time a 'double-your-money' error has occurred at cash machines and on previous occasions some banks have chosen to write off the losses rather than pursue a large number of claims.
A spokesman for the supermarket could not confirm whether customers would be pursued for the money on this occasion, but on previous occasions banks have said customers are not liable when errors of this nature occurred. One office worker, who did not wish to be named, said he became aware of the blunder in Tottenham Court Road when he went to get cash out at lunchtime yesterday.
'I checked my statement online and it was only showing the amount we had asked for, not what was paid out. It was the best thing in the world.'
“我上网查了账户,里面只显示我输入的取款金额,而额外的钱并未计算在内。这简直是世界上最美好的事。”
The cash machine was finally closed down when a customer reported the problem to the supermarket. The spokesman said: 'We're only human, so on very rare occasions ATMs can be loaded with the incorrect cash which means a few lucky customers get more than they bargained for.
'We'd like to thank our customers for letting the store know and we have turned the machine off while we investigate the matter.'
“我们想向那些报告给超市的顾客表示感谢。在关闭了ATM机服务后我们进行了事件审查。”
Last month, hundreds of villagers in Milford-on-Sea in Hampshire enjoyed the same unexpected windfall after an HSBC cash machine experienced a similar glitch.
Police eventually had to shut down the ATM after 200 people rushed to take money out over a two-hour period. The bank said it would not be asking people for the money back.