michael Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 A nice Christmas bonus, what would you have done? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8414712.stm A supermarket employee who alerted bosses when he was mistakenly paid more than £1m has been rewarded with a crate of beer. Stephen Foster, who works at the Co-op's distribution centre in Birtley, Gateshead, was alerted to the error on his December payslip by his girlfriend. He had been paid £1.4m, or £800,000 after deductions. The Co-op said it received the money back within 12 hours and praised Mr Foster's "exemplary behaviour". Mr Foster, of Gateshead, is unable to speak about the incident because of restrictions in his contract. A spokesman for the firm said: "Due to an error in our wages department earlier this month, Stephen Foster, an employee at our Birtley regional distribution centre, received a monthly salary payment of £1.4m. "After deductions, around £800,000 was paid into his bank account. "This was somewhat higher than he would normally expect but thanks to his honesty and that of his girlfriend, who first spotted the error, he immediately informed us of the mistake and the money was back with us within 12 hours of it being paid to him. "We were surprised and concerned about our mistake but not by Stephen's exemplary behaviour, which is typical of him. "Coming as it does just before Christmas, it's the kind of act that renews your faith in human nature." I hope that's a big crate of very nice beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I'd have opened an offshore bank account, transferred the money, then fled the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyT Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 A crate of beer. That renews my faith that some people are seriously out of touch with reality. I would of waited 'til they found it themselves tbh. At least it would've cost them the same as a crate of beer then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 A £10 crate of beer, according to Metro this morning. Senior management are looking into it apparently, so there's a chance he'll get a bigger thank-you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kill1308 Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I'd have emigrated for sure !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny g Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 For once, I agree with Thorin. Offshore-for-sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 where did he stand legally on this????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarky666 Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 If you were quick enough to launder it out through to another account (not neccesarily off shore) or other means could they legally get it back ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny g Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Who cares? With £800k he could have bought a nice legal team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I'd have opened an offshore bank account, transferred the money, then fled the country. Yes, indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 where did he stand legally on this????? It's porbably in here, somewhere Skim reading this, I think the employee's chances of getting away with it would be slim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARTIN R Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I would of seriously considered doing a runner:d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 I would have gone to several Co-op establishments and spent it all there, it's giving it back but getting something in return. (Where I came from the Co-op was a department store, I'm not suggesting a million pints of milk from the little shop on the corner) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I'd transfer it to a high interest account and at least try and earn some interest off it before they noticed and asked for it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesArup Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 If he pleaded ignorance for a few weeks/months, he probably would have got a fairly decent amount of interest on that, no? He could have taken the moral high-ground and given it back, but probably have pocketed a good few thousand in interest in the meantime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesArup Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Bah ... you beat me to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguin Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I'd transfer it to a high interest account and at least try and earn some interest off it before they noticed and asked for it back. 4k interest @5% apr? (in just one month) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseys Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 4k interest @5% apr? (in just one month) Or at 0.5% interest on an account that paid it daily it'd have been £109/day interest. Does take the proverbial doesn't it that as a reward he got a crate of beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 be lucky to get 2% / £50 per day on £800K at the moment I'd say............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
far Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I would transfer it and bugger off somewhere ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 That's like the best and worst christmas all rolled into one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 But seriously, what can 800K get you these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 But seriously, what can 800K get you these days? A nice steak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 where did he stand legally on this????? They would've got fired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 if you have left it in your account the interest would have been yours . 2nd thoughts id have withdrawn it and opened a swiss account then said someone cloned my bank account details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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