Honest NatWest customer hands back surprise £1m payment

Thanks to a transfer error, a NatWest banking customer from Barnsley found an unexpected £1 million in his savings this week – but chose to give it back.

Twenty-one year old Kevin McKeefery was “shocked and amazed” after finding £1,245,000 in his unused savings account.

NatWest said the payment was not their error, and that the funds had been sent to Mr McKeefery from another bank.

But the huge sum made the web designer feel uneasy, and he alerted NatWest to the error. McKeefery told the BBC he was shocked at the bank’s slow response. NatWest took 10 days to take the money back.

“I constantly had to chase them up to get it sorted – I didn’t really want to leave such a large amount in there,” he added.

“We appreciate Mr McKeefery bringing this issue to us,” a NatWest statement said. “It occurred not as a result of a NatWest error but we were able to help resolve it as a result of his pro-activity.”

“The delay he experienced he experienced […] was due, in part, to processes that need to be followed to return funds to the sending bank, though we also could have done more for him in moving the funds to a temporary suspense account.”

The experience left McKeefery with £210 in interest, which he says he has already spent.

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

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