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Banking error in you favour, collect $1,000?


Basher

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Well, went home for lunch today and found a surprise in the mail - a cheque for $1,000 from the Ontario Sales Tax office, a retail sales tax rebate for purchasing a hybrid vehicle. Thing is, I already got my refund from them 3 months ago!

Now, they originally told me that my submission was lost, so I had to resubmit. I did so with a letter indicating that it was a resubmission. I have to assume that they processed it again in error.

Of course, I could play dumb. They raised the refund limit to $2,000 in February, so I could just assume that they decided to make it retroactive and send another $1,000 to people that got the original refund.

Or, I could be stupid, and call them to alert them of the error, and rip up the cheque. :(

Another option is to deposit the cheque in my high-interest savings account, and just let it collect interest until I am sure that they haven't noticed the error.

Decisions, decisions...

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I will say this: government agencies make mistakes, but they almost always catch them, even if it is years down the road. I know of several occasions where they will call in their "overpayments", and if it is not expected, it can be a tricky situation.

Your savings-account option seems pretty smart.

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Another option is to deposit the cheque in my high-interest savings account, and just let it collect interest until I am sure that they haven't noticed the error.

Decisions, decisions...

I don't see why your having trouble....

definitely deposit it and sit on it right after we head for that local Japanese place for lunch - on you!!! :P

Kidding - seriously though why not sit on it and see what happens.

Edited by Guest
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Personally, and this is further to MarcO's comments, I would send them a short letter "confirming" that the extra thousand was a retroactive payment due to the February increase. It might very well be.

At worst, they'll demand the money back right away. At best, you'll get to keep it. If, however, they come back at you two years from now, and start accusing you of keeping that money on a tortious basis (eg. "unjust enrichment") you whip out a copy of your letter to them, and then cheerfully repay the money. At that point you have "clean hands" and no one can accuse you of anything untoward.

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I will say this: government agencies make mistakes, but they almost always catch them, even if it is years down the road. I know of several occasions where they will call in their "overpayments", and if it is not expected, it can be a tricky situation.

Your savings-account option seems pretty smart.

good point

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Personally, and this is further to MarcO's comments, I would send them a short letter "confirming" that the extra thousand was a retroactive payment due to the February increase. It might very well be.

At worst, they'll demand the money back right away. At best, you'll get to keep it. If, however, they come back at you two years from now, and start accusing you of keeping that money on a tortious basis (eg. "unjust enrichment") you whip out a copy of your letter to them, and then cheerfully repay the money. At that point you have "clean hands" and no one can accuse you of anything untoward.

ding! ding! ding!

we have a winner!

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Definitely put this in your account and sit and wait.

I had a checque from the government once that they overpayed me.I sent it back and wrote them a letter.

I kept getting bills for the amount which I had sent back.

It took a year for me to straighten their mistake out.

Finally i was told you should have put it in your account and then send it when we sent you a bill.

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A tort is addressed by a civil action. A crime is addressed by a criminal action.

Among the many significant differences, a crime must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. A tort need only be proven on a balance of probabilities. (There's a bunch of other stuff ... mens rea ... actus reus ... and other differences, but Scottie just reminded me that I'd better get back to work, so no time to explain.) ;)

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fack...now yer talking!!!!!

Tim...youse such a funny one, pulling out the best Simpsons' references, even in cyberspace!! (Though I DO MISS you and Ili going full-fucking-force-mach10-warp-speed-drive with the Simpsons' plots and dialogue 'round a campfire, I tells ya!!!!!!)

Also, I am SOOOOOO glad you're in Cassia's life...when she quotes lines like the one above, I can rest easy, knowing that when she really starts asking questions, I can just ship her off for a week of "summer camp" with you & Jen!!!!

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Also, I am SOOOOOO glad you're in Cassia's life...when she quotes lines like the one above, I can rest easy, knowing that when she really starts asking questions, I can just ship her off for a week of "summer camp" with you & Jen!!!!

ok, but she's going to come back a bit warped :) camp timmifer ain't no YMCA camp...

"let's go! these wallets have to be on the streets of hong kong tomorrow!"

pzBUSMP0003.jpg

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