37-Digit Amount Credited, Vanishes in Seconds: Noida Man Says ‘Account Has Zero Balance’
In a bizarre incident that has left authorities and netizens baffled, a 20-year-old man from Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, discovered an astronomical 37-digit amount—over ₹1.13 lakh crore—credited to his late mother’s Kotak Mahindra Bank account, only for it to vanish within seconds, leaving the account with a zero balance. The surreal episode, which unfolded on August 3, 2025, has sparked widespread speculation about banking glitches, potential cyber fraud, and even money laundering. Here’s a detailed look at the incident, its aftermath, and the ongoing investigation.
The Shocking Discovery
Deepak Kumar, a resident of Dankaur in Greater Noida, was using his deceased mother Gayatri Devi’s savings account for small UPI transactions. Gayatri Devi passed away two months prior, and Deepak, unemployed and living with his grandmother, continued to operate the account. On the night of August 3, 2025, Deepak received a notification on his phone showing a staggering credit of ₹10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299—an incomprehensible 37-digit figure estimated to exceed ₹1.13 lakh crore (over 1 undecillion rupees).
Stunned, Deepak shared a screenshot of the balance with friends, asking them to help count the zeros. The screenshot, which read “Available balance Rs 10,01,35,60,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,23,56,00,00,00,00,299,” quickly went viral on social media, with users marveling at the figure and joking about Deepak becoming the “world’s richest man” overnight.
The Bank’s Response and Account Freeze
The next morning, Deepak visited the local Kotak Mahindra Bank branch in Dankaur to verify the transaction. Bank officials were equally shocked but informed him that the account had a zero balance. They immediately froze the account and alerted the Income Tax Department, citing the suspicious nature of the transaction. Authorities are now investigating whether the massive credit was a technical glitch, a data entry error, or a potential case of money laundering.
Kotak Mahindra Bank issued a statement denying the incident, saying, “Media reports suggesting an unusually large balance in a customer’s account are incorrect. Our systems are functioning normally, and we encourage customers to check their account details using Kotak’s mobile banking app or net banking platforms.” Despite this, Deepak’s viral screenshot and his claim of seeing the amount on the bank’s app have fueled public curiosity and skepticism.
A Similar Incident in Uttar Pradesh
This is not the first such occurrence in Uttar Pradesh. In April 2025, a farmer named Ajit Kumar Singh from Hathras reported a similar 36-digit credit of ₹1,00,13,56,00,00,01,39,54,21,00,23,56,00,00,01,39,542 in his account, far surpassing the net worth of the world’s richest individuals. Like Deepak’s case, the amount vanished, and the bank attributed it to a technical glitch linked to a branch in Jammu and Kashmir. Singh’s account was frozen, and he expressed frustration, stating he only wanted his original balance restored for farming expenses.
Theories Behind the Anomaly
Several theories have emerged to explain Deepak’s case:
Technical Glitch: Authorities and cyber experts suspect a glitch in the bank’s software or the NAVI UPI app, which Deepak used to check the balance. A similar issue was reported in the Hathras case, where a numeric formatting error in the transaction ledger caused excess zeros to appear. The NAVI app reportedly displayed the inflated balance, but other platforms like PhonePe showed zero.
Money Laundering Concerns: The Income Tax Department and Greater Noida police are probing whether the transaction could be linked to money laundering or cyber fraud. The involvement of a deceased person’s account raises red flags, as such accounts are sometimes exploited for illicit financial activities.
Data Entry Error: A simple error in the bank’s system, such as incorrect coding or ledger input, could have triggered the display of the massive figure. However, the scale of the amount—far exceeding typical banking errors—has left experts puzzled.
Social Media Frenzy and Public Reaction
The viral screenshot sparked a wave of reactions on social media. Some users humorously dubbed Deepak “India’s richest man,” while others expressed concern about the security of digital banking systems. Posts on X reflected disbelief, with one user joking, “Trust me, you don’t want to use money that lands in your account by mistake—you’ll pay it back.” Another questioned the authenticity of such notifications, noting that banks typically don’t label transactions with specific terms like “salary” in such cases, suggesting a possible glitch or scam.
The incident also drew crowds to Deepak’s modest home, overwhelming the 20-year-old, who eventually switched off his phone to escape the barrage of calls from curious neighbors and relatives.
Implications for Digital Banking
This incident, alongside similar cases like the Hathras farmer’s, raises serious questions about the reliability and security of digital banking infrastructure in India. Cybersecurity experts have called for stronger safeguards to prevent such anomalies, which can erode customer confidence. A previous case in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, where a Kisan Credit Card account showed ₹9,900 crore due to a software glitch, further underscores the need for robust banking systems.
The Reserve Bank of India’s Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021, allows customers to file complaints against banks for such issues, but Deepak’s case highlights the emotional and financial toll of such errors on ordinary citizens.
Conclusion
The mysterious 37-digit credit to Deepak’s account, followed by its sudden disappearance, remains an enigma. While Kotak Mahindra Bank attributes it to a glitch, possibly in the NAVI UPI app, the Income Tax Department’s investigation continues to explore all angles, including potential fraud. For Deepak, the fleeting glimpse of unimaginable wealth has brought more chaos than fortune, leaving him with a frozen account and a zero balance. As digital banking grows, this case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in modern financial systems and the need for rigorous oversight to protect customers.
