In a world where most people keep a close eye on their savings accounts, imagine logging in to find your balance has suddenly turned you into the richest person on Earth—by a long shot. That’s precisely what a man from Noida allegedly experienced when he checked his deceased mother’s bank account at Kotak Mahindra Bank and found a balance that not only beat Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos combined, but looked like a glitch straight out of a sci-fi movie.
The figure? ₹10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299.
(That’s over ₹10 octillion, if you’re trying to count the zeroes.)
The incident went viral across social media platforms, sparking reactions ranging from bewilderment to mockery, before Kotak Mahindra Bank issued a formal clarification terming the viral reports as “factually incorrect.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the bizarre case of the Noida “accidental trillionaire.”
The Shocking Discovery
The man in question, a resident of Sector 51 in Noida, reportedly approached Kotak Mahindra Bank to check the remaining balance in his deceased mother’s savings account to settle financial matters related to her estate. What he found left him stunned: the account displayed a staggering amount so large that it couldn’t be verbally articulated without taking a deep breath midway.
The exact number was so absurdly high that even banking apps allegedly failed to show the full number properly, prompting screenshots and videos to do the rounds on WhatsApp, Twitter (X), and Instagram, attracting memes, jokes, and a fair share of conspiracy theories.
How Much Money Was That Really?
To give you an idea, the amount ₹10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299 is incomprehensibly large. Let’s break it down for perspective:
- It crosses the trillion mark many times over.
- It would make the account holder richer than the GDP of every single country on the planet—combined.
- If this money was real, it would be enough to fund human colonization of Mars, eradicate global poverty multiple times, and still have a few quadrillions left for spare change.
In short, it was financial fantasy, not a factual balance.
The Social Media Frenzy
Once the alleged screenshot went public, the internet did what it does best: explode with reactions. Users quickly began questioning the bank’s credibility, the possibility of a software glitch, and whether someone was trying to expose something much deeper and darker in the banking system.
Memes flooded X (formerly Twitter), with jokes like:
- “Plot twist: The guy’s mom was secretly the real RBI.”
- “Kotak just created the first ‘multi-multiverse economy.’”
- “This is what happens when Excel reaches enlightenment.”
Some users also speculated whether it was a deliberate act of testing the bank’s system limits, or an elaborate prank to gain attention.
Kotak Mahindra Responds
Not long after the issue caught fire on the internet, Kotak Mahindra Bank released an official statement denying the legitimacy of the viral reports. The bank labeled the alleged screenshot and claim as “factually incorrect and misleading.”
“The content circulating on social media is not authentic. We strongly refute these false claims. We urge customers and media houses to rely only on verified information from official bank sources.” – Kotak Mahindra Bank Spokesperson
While they did not go into technical specifics about how such a figure may have appeared (if at all), the bank reassured customers that their systems were secure, and no financial anomaly of such nature had taken place.
Was It a Glitch?
Banking software—especially those used in customer-facing applications—typically use floating-point number formats for showing balances. It’s not unheard of for software bugs to show strange balances due to coding errors, especially during back-end maintenance or due to data corruption.
Some experts speculated that this could be:
- A rendering error in the banking app or ATM interface.
- A server-side glitch that fetched garbage values.
- A manual tampering or use of fake screenshot generators for online clout.
Until now, there’s no technical confirmation from the bank on whether the man actually saw that amount physically or if it was fabricated entirely.
Legal and Security Angle
From a legal standpoint, even if someone were to genuinely discover such an error in their bank account, withdrawing or using it would land them in serious trouble.
Under Section 403 of the Indian Penal Code, dishonestly misappropriating funds that do not belong to you is punishable by law. Banks also have extensive monitoring systems that flag anomalies automatically, especially transactions involving unusually large amounts.
So even if the amount was real due to a glitch, the man would have had zero legal claim over it and could face legal consequences if he attempted to move even a fraction of that amount.
A Reminder of Digital Vulnerabilities
While this particular story may have been exaggerated or outright false, it does shine a spotlight on the importance of digital banking system integrity.
In the age of UPI, instant fund transfers, and online-only neo-banks, one major software bug can lead to public panic. Financial institutions today manage billions in assets, and even a minor back-end error can create reputational damage, especially in an era where screenshots can go viral within minutes.
Similar Incidents in the Past
This isn’t the first time such an incident has made headlines:
- In 2021, a man in the US state of Louisiana discovered $50 billion in his bank account due to a software glitch.
- In India, similar viral stories have emerged where ATM machines showed balances in crores due to faulty display modules.
These stories, although often false or exaggerated, highlight how easily public trust can be shaken when financial data goes wrong.
Final Thoughts
The case of the Noida man’s ‘trillionaire account’ might ultimately be debunked as either a hoax or a technical blip, but it serves as a captivating example of how digital narratives can spiral out of control. While Kotak Mahindra Bank has denied the incident outright, the viral story has already left a lasting imprint on the internet.
For the rest of us, it’s a good reminder: Always double-check your sources, and don’t believe every outrageous screenshot you see online—especially if it claims your neighbor just became richer than all of Earth.
FAQs
Q1. Did the Noida man really receive ₹10 octillion in his bank account?
No, the bank confirmed the viral information was false and misleading.
Q2. Could this have been a software bug?
Possibly. But the bank has not acknowledged any such bug officially.
Q3. Can someone keep money accidentally credited to their account?
No. Using such funds without informing the bank is illegal.
Q4. How should banks prevent such incidents from going viral?
By ensuring strict data integrity, transparency, and proactive public communication.
Q5. What can users do to verify such claims?
Check official statements from the bank, avoid spreading unverified screenshots, and follow trusted news outlets.