Man Checks Stimulus Money, Suddenly Has Over $8M

Charles Calvin knew something wasn't right
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 18, 2020 9:30 AM CDT

A volunteer firefighter was a little surprised to see his $1,700 stimulus payment turn him into a multi-millionaire, CNN reports. "What in the world is going on, man?" says Charles Calvin, 45. "That doesn't seem right." When the Indiana resident took his MetaBank card to an ATM last Saturday—to check the direct-deposit payment and withdraw $200 for rent—the receipt said he had $8.2 million. So he withdrew a little extra to help make rent. "It did it again," says Calvin, who took out $800 in all. "8.2 million." He showed the receipt to an employee at the Family Express gas station, who said there'd been no complaints about this ATM before. She even asked Calvin if he really was a millionaire.

"I said, 'Lady, if I was a millionaire, do you think I would be here at the Family Express gas station getting $200 out for my rent?'" Calvin told her. He then called a friend on the police force who told him not to touch the rest, and brought his fire-department captain to the ATM—which showed him the right balance, per NBC Chicago. "I'm like, 'This is ridiculous' and he's looking at me like, 'Oh you're holding out,'" says Calvin. "I'm a volunteer fireman living paycheck to paycheck just like everybody else is." On Monday, MetaBank told him the ATM system had probably screwed up, and his real balance was $13.69. "That sounds more like my bank account," says Calvin. "$8.2 million does not sound like my bank account. I wish it was my account!" (More ATMs stories.)

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