After a R$120 billion error, the bank freezes funds and leaves the designer penniless.

Written by Carla Teles

Published 07/10/2025 às 21:09

After a R$120 billion error, the bank freezes funds and leaves the designer penniless.

A bank makes a mistake and deposits R$120 billion into the account of a designer, who became the richest man in Brazil for a day. See how the dream turned into a nightmare.

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A glitch turned an ordinary citizen into the richest man in Brazil for a few hours; the shock, the fear of kidnapping, and the total freezing of funds were the consequences of the episode.

Um graphic designer lived a cinematic experience when discovering a balance of $ 120 billion in your bank account. The episode, which began with a declined card at the supermarket, was the result of a colossal glitch that occurred when the bank makes a mistake in a systemic way. The unexpected fortune, as reported by General balance, transformed man, for a brief moment, into richest person in the country, surpassing major Brazilian billionaires.

Despite the astronomical figure, the dream was short-lived and quickly turned into a nightmare. By acting honestly and contacting the financial institution, the designer was not only informed that the amount would be refunded, but also had his account completely blocked, preventing them from carrying out basic day-to-day transactions. The case raises an alarm about the security and stability of banking operations and the unexpected consequences when a bank makes a mistake.

The scare at the checkout and the unbelievable discovery

It all started on a normal day, when Paulo, the graphic designer, went to a local market to do some shopping. When it was time to pay, he got a surprise: the card was declined. Worried that he might have run out of funds, he decided to check his bank statement. It was at that moment that the shock turned into absolute shock. On the screen, the balance wasn't tens or hundreds of reais, but R$120.000.000.000,00. “The guy ended up falling hard in the market,” reported one of the witnesses in the article. General balance.

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The brief life of a billionaire and his contact with the bank

Faced with the unbelievable balance and the growing fear, Paulo's first action was call the financial institution to understand what was happening. The bank's response was straightforward: the transaction was wrong and the money wasn't his. The error, they explained, would be corrected, and the money would be withdrawn from his account. The report from General balance highlighted the designer's honesty, who at no time considered using money that clearly did not belong to him.

The psychological impact was immediate. Besides the fear of becoming a target for criminals, Paulo had to deal with the reality check and explain the situation to friends and family. His son, as he recounted in a good-natured tone, was already looking to spend part of his fortune. The experience of becoming a billionaire for a day, caused by a banking error, revealed how a simple technological glitch can turn a person's life upside down, generating a whirlwind of emotions ranging from panic to disbelief.

From dream to trouble: the blocked account

Solving the problem, however, brought an even more frustrating consequence. After the bank makes a mistake and recognize the failure, the institution not only removed the R$120 billion, but also imposed a total block on Paulo's accountFrom an accidental billionaire, he no longer had access to his own money, making it impossible to make any payments, even for basic needs. “I ended up having to stay indoors, I had practically no money for anything”, he explained.

This turn of events highlights the most problematic aspect of a systemic error of this magnitude. The same failure that deposited an undue fortune resulted in a real loss to the customer, which, despite acting correctly, was penalized with the unavailability of its resources. The episode, widely covered by General balance, serves as a case study on the responsibility of Financial Institution and the vulnerability of customers when a bank makes a mistake.

Paulo's story sounds like a movie script, but it happened in real life. Now, we want to hear your opinion. If you woke up with R$120 billion in your account, what would your first reaction be? Would you call the bank immediately or wait to see what happened? Leave your honest opinion in the comments!

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After a R$120 billion error, the bank freezes funds and leaves the designer penniless.

A glitch turned an ordinary citizen into the richest man in Brazil for a few hours; the shock, the fear of kidnapping, and the total freezing of funds were the consequences of the episode.

The scare at the checkout and the unbelievable discovery

The brief life of a billionaire and his contact with the bank

From dream to trouble: the blocked account

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After a R$120 billion error, the bank freezes funds and leaves the designer penniless.

A glitch turned an ordinary citizen into the richest man in Brazil for a few hours; the shock, the fear of kidnapping, and the total freezing of funds were the consequences of the episode.

The scare at the checkout and the unbelievable discovery

The brief life of a billionaire and his contact with the bank

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