What would you do with an anonymous gift?

I’d wait a bit, to see if it was an error, and then pull it out and do some good with it. If I get a windfall like that, I want to help someone else out. But I’m guessing someone screwed up, so go slow.

You could send it to me if you want. I’m trying to find a new apartment and could use the cash.

@Adirondackwannabe of course it HAS to be an error. But the bank manager investigated and signed a document he sent with me that it is legit.
I have earned a few karma points lately, but this is unreal…

Yes, and the downside is if it was an error, the bank can demand the money back and you’re supposed to comply.

The first thing that comes to my mind is all the stories of the IRS making direct deposit errors and then coming after the person with both barrels blazing. I would demand the bank provide proof of the source of those funds. They do have the ability to do this.

They did. Direct deposit from a single account owner, not identified.

I spent considerable time at the bank. They insist it is legit. They will give me the account it transferred from, but not the name.

The bank manager was willing to let me take the money with (which I did not) because he insists it is not an error

@Cruiser I haven’t filed taxes yet

Whoever did this knows your name as it appears on your bank statement, your full account number and I think they also require the person making the transfer to know your home address. That should give you more of an idea who is responsible. If I were you, I’d sit on the money for a while.

@GloPro At least with the account number you should be able to trace the bank it came from. I have had legit payments into our business account that had decimal point errors. $2,300 could very well be meant to be $23.00. I would be stink on shit till I found out fer sure what this was for and why. This would drive me crazy! I hope it’s legit….you deserve it kiddo! You could buy a serious bling collar for the new pup! ;)

@snowberry :: The other day I put cash into my sisters kids account. I walked up to the teller at BofA and gave them his account number and put in the cash. They also told me his name so I could confirm it went into the right account.

Keep in mind I asked for his name. They didn’t require it.

@snowberry I was weirded out, too. Apparently all they need is your full name and town of residence and home bank.

I’ve never been kept awake by HAVING money before. It’s a new one.

Did the banker research the actual deposit slip and make sure your name was on it?

You don’t even need a deposit slip. Really, I walked up to the teller and showed her the email on my iPhone that my sisters kid sent me with just his account number. She typed it in from what she read on my phone. All there was was his account number. Done.

No questions until I asked the name on the account and she confirmed the name. They don’t really care unless you are taking money out.

@Judi Yes. My name was on the transfer as the intended recipient

Then it’s yours. Go to Disneyland!

Playing Devils advocate here….if you found a purse on the ground with $2,300 in it….would you keep it or try to find the owner??

This link discuses a similar situation and suggests a few options I would not have thought of.

Are there any possible benefactors who might have intentionally deposited the money in your account, such as your parents, another relative, or a friend?

My bank account’s not empty, so I’d weather it out. Let it ride. See who showed up.

If I was broke, I’d spend ½, keep ½ as repayment of the loan.

@Brian1946 I checked with my parents and have no other family.

@Cruiser if I wanted to play by your game the purse would have been found in my sock drawer.

Seriously, this is so odd that I am afraid to spend the money, despite bank verification that it was an intentional transfer. I’m on unemployment, people, and just took an unpaid internship. It IS possible I have a silent angel. But this is too big to take lightly. I definitely will not touch the money for at least two weeks…

What a weird sum for a silent benefactor, though.

Sigh, as much as I want this to be just good fortune, it can’t be real. Something is off. Because the bank manager insists it’s mine should I take it out and stick it in my sock drawer and close the account and wait until it comes out in the wash, or leave the account open? I’m stressing now that somehow my account is going to be bled dry…
If it was a wire transfer then it can’t bounce, right? It wasn’t a check that could bounce in a couple of days, and I haven’t gotten any demands that I send money anywhere…

@GloPro I am only giving my opinion here and as much as I would love to say time to celebrate your good fortune…I would hold off. IMO you should put in writing your demand to the bank that they disclose the source of these funds and ask that they put their reply in writing. At the very least ask for the name of the bank where this deposit came from and contact that bank to verify the veracity of the deposit. This way you have a written record of the banks position on this strange matter in case something more becomes of it.

I get wire transfers all the time and they always come with an ID of the source bank and bank account ID the money came from. Demand your bank provide this for you.

I have done a bit of searching on this type of event and in 99.9% of them there was a bank error. I left room for that one or two stories where it was a legit anonymous donor event I have yet to find.

Here are more links I found on mysterious deposits and their not so warm and fuzzy outcomes.

Bottom line you are on record that you contacted the bank over this deposit and that you are aware this was not your money. If and when anyone comes looking for it, you will be in possession of money that is not yours and you knew about it. How that plays out I cannot say. I truly hope this is an anonymous donor but like @longgone pointed out it is an odd sum that has me questioning what is really behind all this. Good luck!

Pull out all my money and put it in a different bank account in a new bank ASAP.

My bank is investigating. So weird. Apparently no one can pull from my account, we cut off ALL automatic withdrawals today. I left the cash there but am considering withdrawal until this has answers. All they will tell me is that it is a legit wire transfer intended for me from Canada.
The sum, for those of you thinking it’s an odd number, is exactly two months rent for me.

Do you know anyone in Canada?

Well, it turned out to be the extremely rare philanthropic gift. From someone I don’t know that well that lives far away and believes in my dreams. Wild.

Congrats @GloPro What a great feeling that must be!