 TITLE: What to Do if There Is a Bank Error in Your Favor CONTENT: 1\\. Don't Touch the Money\n-------------------------\nWhen encountering what seems to be a huge windfall, even the saintliest among us may be tempted to pay off debt, make a major purchase or put a down payment on a house. After all, the bank is insured against such losses, right? Or maybe you plan to report the error and pay back the money. In the meantime, however, you might figure there's no harm in putting the cash in an interest-bearing account or using it to buy some stocks and earn a profit. Aside from the moral implications of using money that's not yours, the error will eventually come to light and consequences could result.\nEven if the bank doesn't notice its mistake, the money's real owner will. When the bank investigates their customer's complaint and finds the money in your account, they'll naturally question why you didn't report it. If you've spent the money or transferred it to another account, you'll have to pay the bank back and may face criminal charges. That Georgia couple, having spent almost all of the $120,000 before the bank uncovered the mistake, were convicted of theft and ordered to repay more than $100,000 to the bank. END