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July 25, 2008 11:26:12 AM CDT

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China ATM Glitch Nets Man Life

Posted Feb 28, 08 11:56 AM CST in Crime & Courts,  World 

(Newser) – It seemed like a miracle to Xu Ting of Guangzhou: a misplaced decimal point somewhere in the bowels of an ATM meant that his $140 withdrawal debited his account only 14 cents. Over several hours he made another 170 transactions, pocketing more than $24,000. But after getting robbed and buying lottery tickets, he ended up in court—where he was sentenced to life imprisonment for bank robbery, writes the Los Angeles Times.

Xu's harsh sentence has led to uncommon public outcry that has netted him a retrial. An Internet survey revealed that 93% of respondents would have taken the money. Many feel that the judiciary favors banks, despite frequent overcharges and widespread counterfeit bills. "Never let a bank suffer a cent of loss, otherwise it will sue you," complained one observer. "If you're lucky, you'll go bankrupt, if not, beheaded."

Source Los Angeles Times

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A visitor tries out one of the latest automated-teller machines at banking exhibition in Beijing 13 September 2007.   (Getty Images)
Chinese bank customers use the latest China Postal Savings Bank's ATM machines in Beijing 03 February 2007. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)   (Getty Images)
A clerk at an foreign currency exchange desk at a hotel shows Chinese yuan banknotes. A case involving a malfunctioning ATM has raised questions in China about the banking system and the fairness of the...   (Associated Press)
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China  • troop withdrawal  • bank  • bankruptcy  • ATM  • Chinese banks


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