Hathras, India – A farmer from a remote village in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district was left stunned after discovering that his account had been credited with a bank balance with 36 digits—an astronomical figure far exceeding the combined net worth of all the world’s wealthiest individuals.
Ajit, who lives in modest conditions, first noticed unusual activity on April 24, when his account was debited twice—once for ₹1,800 (approx. $21.50 USD) and again for ₹1,400 (approx. $16.70). However, it was what followed the next day that left him, his family, and his entire village in disbelief.
On April 25, his account balance reflected an implausible sum:
₹1,00,13,56,00,00,01,39,54,21,00,23,56,00,00,01,39,542 — a number so vast that it is hardly possible to view in a single glance, as it exceeds the very periphery of the eye.
While Ajit’s wife initially expressed joy upon seeing the surreal balance, that feeling quickly turned to anxiety. Fearing fraud, the family contacted the banking merchant, who explained that the entry was likely the result of a technical glitch originating from a branch in Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite assurances, the balance continued to reflect in his account. Ajit then approached local police, who advised him to escalate the matter to the cybercrime division and file a formal complaint.
As of now, Ajit’s account has been frozen, and he remains uncertain whether he has been the victim of fraud or caught in a banking system error.
To put the figure into perspective, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates the net worth of Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and the world’s richest man, at ₹2.84 trillion—a 14-digit sum. Ajit’s displayed balance far surpassed even that, standing at an inconceivable 36 digits.
Authorities have yet to release a detailed explanation for the error.
A similar incident occurred in April 2024 when Citigroup mistakenly credited a client’s account with nearly $81 trillion instead of the intended $280. This amount was approximately 200 times the fortune of Elon Musk. The error went unnoticed for 90 minutes before being detected and reversed. Fortunately, no funds left the bank, and the incident was reported as a “near miss” to regulators.