# Impressive honesty with money **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 6, 2014, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859 "2014-11-06T07:58:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/1 "2014-11-06T07:58:00Z")
I was helping someone buy a car today and when she was asking the bank teller how much to get out she began by saying how much she thought was in that particular account. So they gave her that amount even though it was $1000 more than what she wanted to withdraw. Then we eventually gave it to the seller but he gave up trying to count it so he took it to the teller to get it counted with a machine. He came back saying that we gave him $1000 too much. Then we checked the withdrawal receipt and saw that she got out $1000 too much. I’m really glad that he was honest about it because he probably could have gotten away with it. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/2 "2014-11-06T09:15:14Z")
Am I being whooshed? Sorry, but it sounds like you both need to have your name and address taped to your coat whenever you go outside. How can you make a large withdrawal from a bank without making the amount clear, without the teller counting it out for you as she gives it to you, without checking to see that it’s correct as you receive it, without looking at the receipt, and without rechecking before you use it to buy a car? ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/3 "2014-11-06T10:59:54Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Am I being whooshed? > > Sorry, but it sounds like you both need to have your name and address taped to your coat whenever you go outside. How can you make a large withdrawal from a bank without making the amount clear, without the teller counting it out for you as she gives it to you, There were more than 100 notes involved. She used a money counting machine. > [@](#): > > without checking to see that it’s correct as you receive it, without looking at the receipt, and without rechecking before you use it to buy a car? The girl withdrawing the cash was very stressed out with buying the car. She has very limited attention when she is like that. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/4 "2014-11-06T11:44:54Z")
The seller ‘gave up’ trying to count it? Returns to bank for teller to count it for them? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/5 "2014-11-06T11:49:15Z")
Conceivably, the transaction was done at the bank with both parties present. But whatever… All I want to know is what kind of car did she get? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/6 "2014-11-06T11:56:15Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The seller ‘gave up’ trying to count it? > > Returns to bank for teller to count it for them? > > :dubious: This. Were all three of you at the bank making this transaction? And what did the teller pay you in? 20’s? What an odd story. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/7 "2014-11-06T12:01:45Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The seller ‘gave up’ trying to count it? Because there were over 100 notes and he may have lost count a bit. > [@](#): > > Returns to bank for teller to count it for them? > > :dubious: We were in the bank the whole time. The teller had a money counting machine so it would only take a few seconds and be very reliable. We met in the bank so there wouldn’t be a risk of the large amount of cash being stolen. Then the guy put the cash into his account. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/8 "2014-11-06T12:02:45Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > …All I want to know is what kind of car did she get? A classy silver sedan. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/9 "2014-11-06T12:03:46Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > …And what did the teller pay you in? 20’s? No the teller paid with 50s. We wanted 100s. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/10 "2014-11-06T12:14:03Z")
I was at a friend’s bar a few weeks ago. I bought a $10 cigar and a couple of other things. I paid with a fifty. The cashier left my bill on the till and counted out thirty-something in change. Then he started chatting. And chatting. The phone rang and he handled the call. After hanging up the phone, he saw my fifty laying there and counted out thirty-something in change. Maybe an hour later, it hit me. I pulled my cash out of my pocket, and confirmed what he’d done. I went back and explained, but the kid argued. His boss (my friend) had him close out his drawer, proving that he was indeed thirty-something short. ETA: Hope the car works out! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/11 "2014-11-06T12:24:49Z")
Why didn’t you just get a cashier’s check? ---
**Author:** ![tonyfop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tonyfop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonyfop)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/12 "2014-11-06T12:30:34Z")
Many years ago, I loaned a friend a large amount of money, to be paid back in installments. When she gave me the first installment, in $20’s and smaller, I counted it all out to make sure the amount was right. My friend got highly insulted that I would embarrass her in public by not trusting her, and counting the money in public. I (from NY) was always brought up to count money after every transaction, so that if there is an error it can be fixed on the spot. She (From Georgia) was brought up to trust friends, and that counting money was an insult. This actually caused a major strain in the friendship. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/13 "2014-11-06T12:41:58Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > Because there were over 100 notes and he may have lost count a bit. > We were in the bank the whole time. The teller had a money counting machine so it would only take a few seconds and be very reliable. We met in the bank so there wouldn’t be a risk of the large amount of cash being stolen. Then the guy put the cash into his account. Are things that different in Australia that you couldn’t have the Teller arrange a transfer directly from one account to the other? If both accounts are at the same bank, the cheque (much less cash) should never have needed to have gone over the counter to the account holders. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/14 "2014-11-06T16:52:24Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Why didn’t you just get a cashier’s check? See post #5 in [What's the best way to purchase something expensive in a secure way? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739889) > [@tonyfop](#): > > … I (from NY) was always brought up to count money after every transaction, so that if there is an error it can be fixed on the spot. She (From Georgia) was brought up to trust friends, and that counting money was an insult. This actually caused a major strain in the friendship. I lived in Las Vegas for many years. We locals had a saying: “Trust everyone. \*Always \*cut the cards.” ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/15 "2014-11-06T18:19:26Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Why didn’t you just get a cashier’s check? Funny story. I bought a car and we met at my bank where the seller signed over the title and I gave him a cashier’s check. The guy eyes it dubiously “I thiught you’d give me a personal check; I hear a lot about these being counterfeit.” Yeah, dude, not from the bank itself with you standing there! Odds are the teller in the OP won’t be around next time they visit. Most banks let them go after the second such incident and they seem likely to hit their limit soon. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/16 "2014-11-06T18:34:40Z")
Somebody needs another bank. I can’t imagine a teller dumb enough to give somebody whatever they wanted out of their bank account without checking the balance. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/17 "2014-11-06T18:46:52Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Funny story. I bought a car and we met at my bank where the seller signed over the title and I gave him a cashier’s check. The guy eyes it dubiously “I thiught you’d give me a personal check; I hear a lot about these being counterfeit.” Yeah, dude, not from the bank itself with you standing there! > > Odds are the teller in the OP won’t be around next time they visit. Most banks let them go after the second such incident and they seem likely to hit their limit soon. > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Somebody needs another bank. I can’t imagine a teller dumb enough to give somebody whatever they wanted out of their bank account without checking the balance. From the OP I don’t think the teller screwed up. The customer just asked for $1000 more than what she needed. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/18 "2014-11-06T18:58:11Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Odds are the teller in the OP won’t be around next time they visit. Most banks let them go after the second such incident and they seem likely to hit their limit soon. > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Somebody needs another bank. I can’t imagine a teller dumb enough to give somebody whatever they wanted out of their bank account without checking the balance. It sounds to me like the teller’s only error was either mishearing the request or mistyping it in: Customer had, say, $10,000 in the bank & wanted to make a withdrawal for $6000, the cost of the new car but was handed $7000, which is what the receipt said she got. Since the teller’s drawer would balance out, no problem for her. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/19 "2014-11-06T19:47:01Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > What an odd story. Shakes, meet JohnClay. JohnClay, meet Shakes. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859/20 "2014-11-06T21:50:02Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Why didn’t you just get a cashier’s check? I guess cash is more foolproof. Usually. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impressive-honesty-with-money/703859.md?page=2)