Mr. Huang shows the “wrong” bankbook. (Screenshot from BRTN.cn)

Ms. Huang living in Changping District of Beijing was bothered recently: she accidentally deposited 50,000 yuan to the account of Mr. Guo, her dead ex-husband. As she and her daughter both don't know the password, they can't withdraw the money. She has to sue the bank and ask the bank to return the money.

"The teller used to ask me to enter the password when depositing, however, that time, they didn't,” Ms. Huang said. The teller told her that the depositor doesn't need to enter password for demand deposit. "Soon after the transaction was done, I found out that I deposited the money in a wrong account - I meant to deposit the money in my own account, but I gave the teller the bankbook of my late ex."

At the court, the bank acknowledged that Ms. Huang had deposited the money; however, it was not a mistake of the bank. The bank followed her request to deposit the money to a third party's account. Ms. Huang mistook the bankbook of her late ex as hers, which was a personal mistake. The bank has nothing to do with it. 

The bank explained that according to relevant regulations, the legal successor of the deceased should come to the bank with a notarization. Then the successor can reset the password and withdraw the deposit. 

However, the notarization is also impossible. Although Ms. Huang and Mr. Guo have only one daughter, the money was deposited after Mr. Guo's death, in other words, the money is not his. So, the notary office can't identify the money as Mr. Guo's heritage and can't issue the notarization.

Mr. Huang is still waiting for the court ruling. 

The 50,000 yuan has been deposited to her late ex’s account. (Screenshot from BRTN.cn)