NatWest Bank
A man walks past a cash machine outside a NatWest bank in London December 3, 2013. Many customers of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), NatWest and Ulster Bank experienced problems using their credit and debit cards for three hours on Monday. Some customers reported that problems had continued into Tuesday, local media reported. Reuters

At 21, receiving more than a million pounds in your bank account unexpectedly could make the blood rise to your head. And that’s what happened to Briton Web designer Kieran McKeefery from Barnsley who discovered in late January that there was 1,245,000 pounds deposit in his account.

It was just natural that his first instinct was to think what he could buy with such an enormous amount of windfall. Actually, McKeefery was scheduled to buy a new car the next day on terms. But with the million plus in his account, he could afford to pay cash and still have a large amount left, reports the Telegraph.

But good judgement as well as advice from his partner made McKeefery phone his bank to inform them of the unexpected deposit in his account. NatWest, the bank, said they would look into it, but in the meantime just let the money there.

McKeefery admits, “I was kind of tempted [to spend the money] but I had read stories of people spending money mistakenly placed in their accounts and getting into trouble.”

NatWest told him it was up to the remitting bank to sort it out, but it took the bank 10 days to do that. The money came from an investment company and was marked as a CHAPS payment, or a Clearing House Automated Payment System payment, done on Jan 27.

On Feb 6, the investment bank retrieved the money from his account. However, during the 10 days that the money was parked in his account, it earned McKeefery £210 interest the investment bank did not claw bank.

“Having £210 isn’t bad I guess for the hassle. I can’t even remember what I spent it on,” BBC quotes Mckeefery.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au