Woman Goes to Chinese ATM, Gets Blank Paper Instead of Money

She received three of the mysterious papers.
Woman Goes to Chinese ATM, Gets Blank Paper Instead of Money
A visitor tries out one of the latest automated-teller machines at banking exhibition in Beijing 13 September 2007. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)
3/22/2016
Updated:
3/23/2016

On March 18, a Chinese woman surnamed Xu went to an ATM to withdraw 10,000 yuan (about $1,500), but was astonished to find three slips of blank paper the size of 100-yuan notes among the bills. 

Xu had taken her money out in five batches of 2,000 yuan each, and discovered the paper slips in the final batch. The papers were blankexcept for five black squares and the text “Special Test Bill 2010” printed on them, Hangzhou News reported March 21. 

“I’ve heard of people getting counterfeit money from ATMs,” Xu told Hangzhou News, “but never of receiving white paper.”

The white paper next to a 100 -yuan bill. (WeChat)
The white paper next to a 100 -yuan bill. (WeChat)

It turns out that the white paper had been accidentally left in the ATM after maintenance workers had used it to run checks on the machine. 

Netizens commenting on the incident noted that an ATM turning out paper instead of money received little official attention, while people can be jailed for accepting extra money caused by banking errors.

Closeup of the white paper. (WeChat)
Closeup of the white paper. (WeChat)