Ontario man accidentally overpays credit card bill by $16,000 due to typo
An Ontario man who overpaid his credit card bill by $16,000 because of a typo said he was shocked to learn it would be weeks before he got his money back.
"I can honestly say I'm not blaming anyone but myself," Peterborough man James Murray told CTV News Toronto.
The 78-year-old was paying his Capital One credit card bill in early August and owed about $1,800 for his car and home insurance.
Murray paid the bill through a bank machine and accidentally paid a lot more than he should have.
"I meant to give them $1,800 and I inadvertently pressed an extra zero and I gave them $18,000. I didn't know this until the next day when I was looking at my receipts," Murray said.
When the senior realized his mistake he contacted Capital One right away and he was shocked when he was told he would not get his money back for 30 to 60 days.
His next credit card statement showed he had a minus balance with a credit of $16,055, but Murray said he needed the money back sooner to pay other bills that were also due.
"They must realize they have money that belongs to me," said Murray. "This has been pretty tough on me. A lot of anxiety and sleepless nights wondering when I'm going to get my money back."
When CTV News Toronto contacted Capital One Canada a spokesperson said, "We apologize for any inconvenience and sincerely regret that Mr. Murray was dissatisfied with his experience. We have addressed Mr. Murray’s request and appreciate his business.”
"While we have established policies pertaining to credit card overpayment, we recognize the frustrations specific to this situation and are evaluating opportunities to communicate our policies with greater clarity to ensure our customers understand their options," Capital One added.
Murray was sent a cheque for the $16,055 that he overpaid Capital One and was relieved to get the money back.
"I just received the cheque from Capital One,” Murray told CTV News Toronto. "It's such a relief because that’s a large amount of money."
Paying utility bills and credit card statements has never been easier using online banking or bank machines.
But when you're paying those bills be careful you don't make a mistake, because if you do overpay you could have to wait months for a refund.
It's a good reminder to be careful when paying bills online or at a bank machine.
If you catch the mistake right away, it can usually be corrected the same day. After that it becomes more difficult to get your money back.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.