| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4] > | Poll: What would you do if you were overpaid by mistake? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What would you do if you were overpaid by mistake?".
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| | | | | I deduct from the next order | Apr 20, 2023 |
This has happened to me more than once. I call the client and ask if it's ok to deduct the amount from the next order. They've always said yes, so I've never had to return the money directly.
| | | | | I'd return the money - of course | Apr 20, 2023 |
In fact, I returned funds paid to me twice by one of my regular clients just last week.
Double payments of invoices by clients seem to happen to me quite frequently. Don't quite know why that happens as it can be a serious business risk for companies losing track of their outgoing payments...
In any case, I would advise everyone to return any funds paid erroneously by clients and not to keep the money. They'll appreciate your honesty (and most certainly would stop worki... See more In fact, I returned funds paid to me twice by one of my regular clients just last week.
Double payments of invoices by clients seem to happen to me quite frequently. Don't quite know why that happens as it can be a serious business risk for companies losing track of their outgoing payments...
In any case, I would advise everyone to return any funds paid erroneously by clients and not to keep the money. They'll appreciate your honesty (and most certainly would stop working with you if they found out you had simply kept their money...). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Iulia Parvu 
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:05
Member (2022)
English to Romanian
+ ...
| 100% return the money | Apr 20, 2023 |
I've encountered this situation before: the client had a budget of $1,800, which was very high given the complexity of the job. As a result, I only asked for $800, which was reasonable considering the word count was not over 11,000 words. However, in the end, the client sent me the full $1,800. Before returning the money, I asked if he was sure about paying me the full amount, in case the extra $1,000 was meant as a bonus for a job well done (LOL). It turned out to be a mistake, so I naturally g... See more I've encountered this situation before: the client had a budget of $1,800, which was very high given the complexity of the job. As a result, I only asked for $800, which was reasonable considering the word count was not over 11,000 words. However, in the end, the client sent me the full $1,800. Before returning the money, I asked if he was sure about paying me the full amount, in case the extra $1,000 was meant as a bonus for a job well done (LOL). It turned out to be a mistake, so I naturally gave the money back.
I would do the same every time, as I care about my reputation and want to be able to sleep at night. ▲ Collapse
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| Return the money | Apr 20, 2023 |
I can’t remember it ever happened in over 40 years of professional practice. I had a case of underpayment (a client who decided suddenly that I should cover his bank charges) but never overpayment. If this were to happen, it is inconceivable to me not to return the money immediately…
P.S. I’m aware that this is a scammer’s favourite, but so far I have been spared…
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 20:05
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
As soon as I have made sure that it is not an advance-free scam, I'd pay back the money. However, I don't always notice this until quite some time later (unless the client tells me about it first).
This has actually happened to me before: the client paid twice for the same job. I told them that I could not pay back the money until the end of the week, and then I paid them back. I was not able to just cancel the payment -- that would have been "safer", so I had to pay it back by s... See more As soon as I have made sure that it is not an advance-free scam, I'd pay back the money. However, I don't always notice this until quite some time later (unless the client tells me about it first).
This has actually happened to me before: the client paid twice for the same job. I told them that I could not pay back the money until the end of the week, and then I paid them back. I was not able to just cancel the payment -- that would have been "safer", so I had to pay it back by sending them the money.
I sometimes get payments that don't line up with invoices, and when I discover such payments, and I can't figure out what they are for, I ask the client for an explanation. Usually the client is adamant that the payment was not a mistake and that they feel confident with their book-keeping system, so that's fine. But in the future, if a client were to discover (after me querying it) that they had paid me by mistake, and I'm confident that they had indeed paid me by mistake, I would simply send them the money.
Added: I do seem to recall something similar having happened to me what happened to Iulia, i.e. a client accidentally paying the original higher offer instead of the updated reduced offer, despite me having invoiced for the reduced amount.
[Edited at 2023-04-20 08:41 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Vera Schoen
Sweden
Local time: 20:05
Member (2008)
German to Swedish
+ ...
This has happened to me some times (always with agencies I have worked for regularly). I always alert them, and how we then proceed depends on the amount. If it’s a small amount I just deduct it from the next invoice but if the sum is larger, I return the sum immediately.
| | | | | I'm baffled ... | Apr 20, 2023 |
... by responses like 'It depends on the client'. What kind of 'professionalism' is that? Of course, if you don't realise, that's a different story altogether. But knowing and not returning the money or asking them to withdraw it from your next invoice's payment (which has the same result)? 
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| That counts as 'return the money' to me :) | Apr 20, 2023 |
Vera Schoen wrote:
This has happened to me some times (always with agencies I have worked for regularly). I always alert them, and how we then proceed depends on the amount. If it’s a small amount I just deduct it from the next invoice but if the sum is larger, I return the sum immediately.
Indeed a good option; it's usually easier for both parties than refunding, and it has the same result.
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Honesty is the best policy.
| | | | Iulia Parvu
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:05
Member (2022)
English to Romanian
+ ...
Edith van der Have wrote: ... by responses like 'It depends on the client'. What kind of 'professionalism' is that? Of course, if you don't realise, that's a different story altogether. But knowing and not returning the money or asking them to withdraw it from your next invoice's payment (which has the same result)?
At least no one answered 'I'd keep the money' (not yet anyway)
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 20:05
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
| You can't... | Apr 20, 2023 |
call yourself a professional translator and at the same time act like a crook.
[Edited at 2023-04-20 10:55 GMT]
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They could earn it back by sending work, but no way am I putting time and money into an international transfer.
| | | | | return the money | Apr 20, 2023 |
It never happened to me so far, but I think I would contact them to explain the situation and return the money
| | | | IrinaN
United States
Local time: 13:05
English to Russian
+ ...
| I would imagine | Apr 20, 2023 |
this question to be offered to juveniles who once had ended up in jail for theft, supposedly learned their lesson and are expected to have been rehabilitated.
Essentially the question is "if you were to come into possession of somebody else's money, would you steal or return it?"
I wonder if anything but return using any prompt and legitimate means was expected from this audience....
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