A Nigerian woman, known as Motee on social media, recently shared an eye-opening experience after mistakenly sending money to the wrong account. Her story, which has since sparked discussions online, highlights the challenges of retrieving funds from unintended recipients and the varying attitudes people exhibit when faced with such situations.

According to her post, Motee had inadvertently transferred ₦55,200 to an unknown person’s OPay account. Realizing her mistake, she swiftly contacted the recipient, expecting an apology or at least a prompt refund. However, to her astonishment, the recipient took an entirely different approach. Rather than acknowledging the error and returning the money immediately, the person questioned her, asking how much she was willing to let them keep from the amount mistakenly sent.

“I sent ₦55,200 to a wrong account (OPay). I haven’t met her before. I called her line, she said how much do I want to give her from there. Nigerians! What she did was bad. It’s not a normal character. I sha gave her ₦5,200.” Motee wrote, expressing her shock and frustration.

The incident, which occurred over the course of a few days, left Motee struggling to retrieve her money. Despite persistent follow-ups, the recipient only returned the funds on Tuesday, after holding onto the money since the preceding Saturday. While Motee was ultimately able to recover the bulk of her funds, she had to part with ₦5,200, an amount she reluctantly gave the recipient just to facilitate the return of the rest.

The revelation has since gone viral, triggering widespread reactions across social media platforms. Many users expressed outrage, condemning the recipient’s behavior as unethical and exploitative. Others, however, took a more satirical approach, humorously remarking that such attitudes are a reflection of the growing financial hardships in the country.

“Imagine someone mistakenly sending you money, and instead of refunding it, you ask them how much you can keep. Some people have no conscience,” one Twitter user commented.

“This is why I double-check before sending money. Nigerians will use every opportunity to ‘cash out,’” another user wrote.

While cases of mistaken transfers are not uncommon, this particular situation highlights the increasing concerns over honesty and trust in financial transactions. Many people have shared similar experiences of mistakenly sending money to strangers, only to be met with resistance when requesting refunds.

Banking experts advise customers to always verify account details multiple times before making any transfers, as recovering funds mistakenly sent to personal accounts can be a daunting task. While banks and financial institutions can intervene in certain cases, the process is often lengthy, requiring extensive documentation and cooperation from the unintended recipient.

In Nigeria, knowingly withholding or refusing to return money that was mistakenly sent to an account can be considered fraudulent appropriation, and legal steps can be taken to recover such funds. However, many victims avoid legal action due to the time and effort involved in the process.

Motee’s story serves as a cautionary tale, reminding people of the importance of vigilance when handling financial transactions. It also raises critical discussions on morality and the extent to which some individuals may go when faced with the temptation of easy money. While she eventually got most of her money back, the experience left a lasting impression on her and many others who came across her story.

As online banking continues to evolve, so do the challenges that come with it. For now, one thing remains clear: in the world of digital finance, trust is not always guaranteed.