# Credit union deposit error

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-union-deposit-error/786793>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 16, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-union-deposit-error/786793 "2017-05-16T22:17:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-union-deposit-error/786793/1 "2017-05-16T22:17:18Z")

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I had a check deposit for 175.50. They said it was 175.00 but I noticed that and they fixed it.

If I had not noticed the error, it would have been caught somewhere? They would have had an extra 50 cents but no account to put it in?

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-union-deposit-error/786793/2 "2017-05-17T14:31:12Z")

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It depends on the bank/credit union I suppose. While the discrepancy would have likely been caught eventually, they would probably have just credited your account the .50 without notifying you. Minor mistakes like this must happen all the time I’m guessing.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-union-deposit-error/786793/3 "2017-05-17T14:55:14Z")

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It probably would have been caught within 24 hours. Deposits usually go to a proofing department at night and it would have been cleared up there assuming it was an obvious mistake. If the handwriting on the check really did look $175.00 it may have been missed there as well.

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-union-deposit-error/786793/4 "2017-05-18T22:00:12Z")

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Assuming it was not caught in proofing, it goes into a special category often called a ‘balancing account’ or something like that. It’s a place where the bank handles the minor errors like this. There are lots of them for a big bank, and it’s not worth the time to try to trace them all. The errors can be either for or against the bank, but they tend to come out slightly negative – customers notice & complain about mistakes where they are shorted money; but often don’t notice or don’t complain when the error is in their favor.

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**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-union-deposit-error/786793/5 "2017-05-19T21:17:11Z")

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they fixed it right away. There was only a 175.50 deposit , no mention of the wrong 175.00 deposit.

(at least from what I saw online)