You receive an SMS from your bank notifying you of a deposit. The payment is unexpected, and you have no idea where it came from.  What is your legal responsibility?

Every individual is expected to act lawfully, therefore if money is deposited into your account and you know it’s not yours, legally you must return it.   A Walter Sisulu University student, Sibongile Mani, was accidentally paid an amount of R14 million instead of R1,400 in June 2017 by a company that manages the National Student Financial Aid Scheme’s (NSFAS) finances. She was found guilty of theft and imprisoned after she spent over R800,000 of the money that she received from NSFAS.   It is crucial to understand the consequences of spending funds you received in error which may include: A court order or...

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