smh.com.au 21/8/07
"Long queues mostly made up of backpackers flocked to an ATM in Queenstown, New Zealand, after it began dispensing twice as much cash as intended, without recording the loss from a customer's account.
Bruce Thompson from Kiwibank said the organisation won't be chasing up the lost money, which occurred when a contractor incorrectly stacked the ATM, putting $20 notes in the $10 box and $10 notes in the $20 box.
"The idea of going to Australian-based banks and saying we want to do a recovery of $100 is a very difficult area," he said.
The bank's ATMs are normally set up to dispense $20 as two $10 notes, so by carrying out numerous $20 transactions, those at the outlet doubled their money.
According to a report in the Southland Times newspaper, queues of 15-20 happy, smiling people lined up at the bank from 10pm (2000 AEST) on Tuesday night until 4am (0200 AEST) on Wednesday morning.
"This is not unique. It has certainly happened before. What is different here is the publicity ... There were heaps of backpackers queuing up," Thompson said.
The cash cow dried up only after a taxi driver who saw the long queues and people texting the information to their friends, called police.
But the error was not all good news for people lined up at the ATM.
Those intending on getting $20 notes from the machine received only half as much money as they expected.
People who were shortchanged will be reimbursed by the bank."
