One wrong tap, ₹37,000 gone: Uber driver returns mistakenly sent money, refuses to take reward | Today’s news
One bad tap cost Sanchari Ghosh ₹37,000 as on 1st September. What followed, however, became an unforgettable lesson in honesty and human decency.
The LiveMint journalist intended to pay Arindam Mukherjee, whose name has been changed. She opened Google Pay and selected what looked like the correct recipient. Unfortunately, the money went instead to Arindam Ganguly, also a changed name.
Surnames varied, but similar first names caused costly confusion. The move took place on Tuesday around 5:30 p.m.
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Three hours passed before Sanchari noticed the ghastly mistake. Around 8:30 p.m., the truth came out of her payment history. Her ₹37,000 went to someone she could not immediately identify.
Panic quickly set in. Sanchari contacted HDFC Bank, which handled the outgoing payment. She also called up the Kolkata police cyber cell, desperately seeking help.
However, formal escalation and further action would take time. For several minutes of anxiety, the missing amount seemed trapped beyond her reach. With each passing moment, the random transmission became more terrifying.
Then came a sudden breakthrough. Sanchari realized that the mysterious recipient was an Uber driver from a recent trip. She was traveling in his car on August 24. She paid him that day via Google Pay. His details therefore remained visible among her previous payment contacts on GPay.
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Sanchari searched her Uber history and found the route. She first tried to contact the driver using the lost item app. Uber said the request could not proceed because the trip was over a week old.
Fortunately, the ride recording still offered a “Call Driver” option. His number remained hidden, but the app connected them.
Sanchari asked if he accepted unexpectedly ₹37,000. Immediately the driver confessed to taking the money. Then, in just 15 minutes, he returned every penny.
There were no questions, excuses, negotiations or demands. There was just a surprising, uncomplicated honesty.
Uber driver refuses reward
Grateful and relieved, Sanchari wanted to meet the driver in person. She hoped to offer him a small token of appreciation. But he politely declined her reward. His explanation turned a disturbing payment error into something deeply moving.
“Your praise and faith are gift enough,” he told her. “How long could I last?” ₹37,000?”
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“But this belief will take me very far,” he added.
A careless tap sent Sanchari’s money to someone else’s account. The integrity of one man ensured her faith in people.
“I don’t know if you realized how much that sentence meant to me. In a world where we often talk about deception, fraud and loss of trust, I experienced something refreshing yesterday. Thank you, Arindam.” ₹37 thousand returned to me. But I think I got something much more valuable,” said Sanchari.
