![Bank of Ireland ‘free money’ glitch sparks huge run on ATMs Bank of Ireland ‘free money’ glitch sparks huge run on ATMs](https://i0.wp.com/content.fortune.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/GettyImages-1232485432-e1692184756367.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1)
An Irish bank has warned people who took advantage of a technical glitch to withdraw more cash than their account balances will be liable to return the money.
Within hours on Tuesday, some Bank of Ireland customers found themselves able to withdraw large sums of money from ATMs, many of them wrongly thinking they got free money.
Some customers were able to transfer up to 500 euros ($546) to other accounts (even if it exceeded their available amount), and then withdraw the funds in cash.
Bank of Ireland said the outages were caused by a technical issue affecting several services including mobile apps and online banking.
In a statement emailed to wealth On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Dublin-based bank said the downtime service had been restored overnight.
“We are aware that technical issues have meant that some customers have been able to withdraw or transfer funds in excess of their normal limits,” they said. “These transfers and withdrawals will be credited to customers’ accounts today. contact us.”
The bank also apologized for the disruption caused by its technology outage, acknowledging it was “well below the standard our customers expect from us”.
“The app may be slow today as we continue to catch up in processing payments,” its spokesperson added.
the police have called the police
As word of the withdrawal glitch spread, queues formed in front of ATMs. Reporting from all over Irelandsocial media posts appeared to document people rushing to withdraw cash.
@outcastmatt Bank of Ireland to ditch free money #Irish ♬ Original Sound – OutcastMatt
according to local mediaThe ATM run sparked a police response after the incident, with officers mobilizing to stop people from withdrawing cash.
A spokesperson for the Irish Police Force An Garda Síochána told us wealth On Wednesday, law enforcement became aware of “unusually high activity at some ATMs across the country.”
“On a case-by-case basis, local decisions are made based on public safety and public order presented to members of the police department,” they said in an email. “(We) remind people to take personal responsibility when conducting personal banking. “
warn money grabbers
It wasn’t just the police who were warning bank customers about their responsibilities.
Bank of Ireland issued a series of posts on Platform X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday night warning its customers to keep account balances in mind before making any transactions.
“We would like to remind customers that if funds are transferred/withdrawn (including in excess of normal limits), the money will be debited from their account,” the bank said. No withdrawals/transfers should be made.”
It also turned away a customer who wished to keep “free funds.”
Hi, thanks for your tweet. We understand that technical issues have meant that some customers have been able to withdraw or transfer funds in excess of normal limits. These transfers and withdrawals will be applied to the client’s account within today. Thanks, Niam.
— Bank of Ireland (@talktoBOI) August 16, 2023
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