‘Never deposit cash through the ATM’: Citibank customer tries to deposit $1,200 at ATM. Then the machine froze
It's every bank customer's nightmare: heading to the ATM after a shift with cash in hand only for a technical error to get in the way of your deposit. That's why one TikToker is warning other customers to avoid ATM deposits after he says the machine "ate" his mortgage payment.
In a video with over 32,000 views, TikToker Computer Sam (@computersamnyc) sits in his car in front of Citibank in the dark.
"I just went in to deposit $1,200 into an ATM. The ATM took my money. Then the door closed," he says. "It sounded like it was counting money like it normally does. And then the ATM froze."
He shows a clip of the ATM's grey screen that reads, "Sorry, this machine is temporarily out of service."
Sam says he hit cancel and was able to retrieve his debit card, but the cash was still in the machine.
"I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with Citibank. They said they're going to investigate," Sam says. "We'll see."
@computersamnyc A citibank atm just ate my cash deposit. What the f@&$. @Citi #bank #money #moneytips #newyork #nyc #citibank #atm #rant #ranting #mad #technicaldifficulties #fyp #fypシ #finance ♬ original sound - Computer Sam
What happens if an ATM takes your money?
In the comments, viewers explain how their similar experiences were dealt with by banks to ease Sam's worries.
"There are cameras there. They will be able to see your deposit," one shared.
"They go and count the machine. You will get it back," another said.
"Don’t worry! As a former bank employee, I can tell you that once they balance their ATM, your money should be returned to where it belongs! This happens, but it gets fixed without a problem!" a third added.
Others said Sam will likely have access to his money through a "provisional" credit while the bank investigates the missing cash. This will let him get his mortgage payment in on time.
"This happened to me once at another bank. It’ll get balanced out the following business day, and your card was in the ATM when it malfunctioned. They should credit your account pretty quick," one viewer wrote.
"This happened to me with Chase. I came back to the bank the next day when they were open, and they credited my account in about 10-15 minutes. Nothing to worry about, it’s all under a camera and that money there," another said.
However, Sam says that getting his money back hasn't been smooth. In an email to the Daily Dot, Sam shared, "The branch staff was basically useless. Phone support said I will get a provisional credit in within 10 business days, while they carry out their investigation. I have not gotten it yet. Will I get my money back? My guess is as good as yours."
The Daily Dot reached out to Citibank via email.
Should you deposit cash after hours?
If an ATM "eats" your money, a branch employee can usually help you during business hours. However, if you deposit after hours like Sam, you'll have to wait until the next business day for a worker to "balance," or count, the money in the machine.
Because of this, viewers urged bank customers to avoid depositing cash after hours in case the ATM glitches.
"Why do people deposit large sums of money after hours smh," one commented.
"Lesson learned. Always go to the branch to deposit cash," another wrote.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
The post ‘Never deposit cash through the ATM’: Citibank customer tries to deposit $1,200 at ATM. Then the machine froze appeared first on The Daily Dot.