When Chester County resident Mark Edens deposited $980 into a Navy Federal Credit Union ATM in Paoli, Pennsylvania, back in February, he expected the money to show up in his account right away.
Instead, he says the machine spit out an error receipt, rebooted, and flashed strange codes — and the money never appeared.
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“I looked on my app and saw that the money didn’t reflect in my account,” Edens told NBC10 Responds. (1) “That was a lot of money.”
Edens filed multiple disputes with Navy Federal, but says the credit union repeatedly denied his claims, saying it found no issue with the ATM.
After NBC10 Responds contacted the company on his behalf, Navy Federal said it reopened its review after identifying incomplete information during the initial investigation and contacted another financial institution about the missing funds.
Two weeks later, the $980 appeared in Edens’ account.
“I was able to catch back up on things because the money was supposed to go towards bills,” he said.
Navy Federal did not explain how the error happened.
Although ATM errors like this are rare, they can happen — and your best protection is speed, documentation, and persistence. Here are five ways to protect yourself if an ATM ever “eats” your deposit.
Document everything
That error slip could become your best evidence.
Take a photo of the receipt immediately, along with any error messages displayed on the screen. Screenshot your account balance to show that the deposit didn’t post.
It’s also smart to jot down the exact amount you deposited and the time the transaction happened. If the machine starts rebooting or flashing codes, document that, too.
Banks and credit unions rely heavily on machine logs and transaction timestamps during investigations. The more details you can provide upfront, the harder it is for your claim to get lost in the shuffle or dismissed without a deeper review.
Report the problem ASAP
If something looks wrong, act fast. Call the number listed on the ATM or the back of your debit card before leaving the machine, if possible. Explain exactly what happened and ask for confirmation that your report was logged.
Under federal electronic fund transfer rules, consumers generally have 60 days from the statement date showing the error to report an ATM-related issue, and banks usually have 10 business days to investigate. (2)
The sooner you report it, the easier it is for investigators to pull transaction records and surveillance footage if needed. Waiting even a few days can complicate the process, especially if the ATM services multiple financial institutions.
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File a formal dispute
A phone call alone won’t cut it. Make sure your issue is entered as a formal dispute and ask for a claim or case number before ending the conversation.
Request written confirmation by email or secure message so there’s a record of when your complaint was filed.
This matters because banking disputes are common. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFBP) received more than 6.6 million consumer complaints in 2025 alone, with banking-related issues — including deposit disputes, account access problems, and transaction errors — remaining a recurring category of consumer concern. (3)
If your claim is denied, don’t assume that’s the end of it. Ask the bank to explain what they checked, including whether the ATM’s cash was counted after your transaction and whether anything was off.
Request a written explanation of the decision. Sometimes just pressing for clearer details is enough to get a second look at the case.
Escalate outside the bank, if needed
If repeated calls get you nowhere, it may be time to bring in outside help.
You can file complaints with the CFPB, your state banking regulator, or your credit union’s federal regulator. These agencies often require financial institutions to formally respond, which can move your case out of routine customer-service limbo.
In many cases, just the act of an official complaint being opened is enough to trigger a second review internally.
You can also contact local consumer-investigative reporters, as Edens did. Public scrutiny can sometimes trigger faster action and force a company to revisit an issue it initially brushed aside.
Even if it doesn’t guarantee an immediate fix, it can add pressure for a clearer explanation or a more thorough investigation.
Avoid cash ATM deposits, if possible
The simplest way to avoid this problem is to limit cash ATM deposits whenever you can.
Depositing directly with a teller gives you immediate confirmation that the money was received and creates a cleaner record if there’s ever a discrepancy. Staffed in-branch smart ATMs are generally safer than standalone machines because help is often nearby.
If you must deposit cash at an ATM, count the money carefully before inserting it and double-check that the machine displays the correct amount. For larger deposits, some consumers even record themselves counting the cash beforehand for added documentation.
It might feel excessive in the moment, but if a machine malfunctions, those extra precautions can make recovering your money much easier.
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
NBC Philadelphia (1); Legal Clarity (2); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (3)
This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: A Navy Federal ATM swallowed this man’s $980 deposit — 5 ways to protect yourself if it happens to you
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
