Dan Saunders was just an average 29-year-old bartender in the small Australian town of Wangaratta. After a long shift one night, he headed out for drinks with friends, only to realize he was out of cash. He walked to the nearest ATM, planning to withdraw money from his nearly empty savings account. However, the transaction failed when he tried transferring money from his maxed-out credit card to boost his savings balance, and the ATM still dispensed the cash. Dan realized he had stumbled onto a glitch in the system.
Living the High Life
Over the next few nights, Dan repeated this process, doubling the amount each time to stay ahead of his growing negative balance. Soon, he was withdrawing six-figure sums and living large with his pals in Melbourne—fancy hotels, private jets, you name it.
Dan knew it was only a matter of time before the bank caught on. The anxiety ate away at him until he decided to come clean. But when he called the bank, they had no idea what he was talking about.
The End of the Game
Still uneasy, Dan went public with his story on a national TV program. He expected the police to arrest him immediately, but they remained oblivious. The bank didn’t want anyone to know their systems could be hacked this way, so they never reported Dan to authorities.
Realizing he was clear, Dan returned to his everyday life. But the lavish lifestyle had warped his mindset, and managing money responsibly again was a real struggle.
Two years later, needing closure, Dan contacted a significant TV show to finally get caught. He served a short jail sentence and repaid the $200k he was ordered to return.
The Aftermath
Dan says readjusting to everyday life has been humbling, but writing a book and selling the movie rights to his story may help him get back in the black. His wild tale serves as a cautionary reminder that just because you can beat the system doesn’t mean you should.
Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning and laughing a lot while you do, you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode right now!
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