An apparent error from utility company National Grid created an immediate financial crisis for a Massachusetts woman after more than $28,000 was withdrawn from her checking account for a gas bill she said the company had already told her she did not owe.
Madison Wise said the issue quickly became a problem of day-to-day survival. After the withdrawal pushed her account into the negative, she said she could no longer cover groceries, gas, or other basic expenses for her family.
What happened?
According to a report from CBS News Boston, Wise explained that, when her family planned to move into a new apartment, she put a National Grid account in her name. However, before they had the chance to live in the new space, the property was condemned, and the lease was terminated.
Wise said she initially received the outlandish utility bill despite the account being in her name for only three days.
Her first conversation with the utility was not reassuring, however. She recalled being told, "Yup, that's your bill." She said she responded, "'Are you sure? This is the cost of a nice new car, are you positive?' This is more money than I have ever seen in one place in my life," CBS News Boston reported.
She later said a National Grid representative explained that the charge stemmed from a mistaken meter reading and told her her actual balance was zero, according to CBS News Boston.
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Thinking the problem had been resolved, Wise said she moved on — until weeks later, when she found that National Grid had debited the full $28,260.60 from her bank account and sent it into the red.
Wise said she was then told it might take seven to 10 days to get the money back, although National Grid later said, according to CBS News Boston, that the refund should arrive within two to three days.
Why does it matter?
Wise explained that the delay caused significant stress.
"I am now overdrawn and I'm panicking, I'm freaking out. I have a two-year-old at home, I'm pregnant. I have the family to feed, and I now can make no purchases," she told CBS News Boston. "Any automated bill that comes out is going to bounce. Rent is due in a week. I have no idea what to do."
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Wise called the charge "a number so absurd that any person would understand that that must be an error" but said the situation still escalated into a withdrawal that effectively shut down her finances.
What's being done?
Wise explained to the outlet that National Grid's response quickly changed after she reached out to local reporters.
"Within what, two hours I'm getting a call from the president's office of National Grid personally ringing my line saying we're so sorry for all this trouble that has been caused and we'll do everything to make it right," she told CBS News Boston. "We are going to go ahead and send you that money back now."
In a statement, National Grid said: "We recognize the impact this situation is having on the customer and sincerely apologize. We have refunded the charge and are working with the customer's bank to ensure the funds are returned as quickly as possible. We are reviewing the account to understand what led to the error and working directly with the customer to ensure it is fully resolved."
According to CBS News Boston, Wise also told local reporters that National Grid had agreed to cover overdraft fees, handle bounced checks, and add credits to her account.
"If it could happen to me it could happen to anybody," Wise explained to the outlet. "It took the threat of massive sanctions and local news getting involved to receive an adequate response at all."
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