Title: Guelph Man Receives Help After Sending Rent Money to Wrong Recipient

A Guelph man received unexpected assistance after mistakenly sending his rent money to the wrong e-transfer number. Het Shah, who sent $1,020 to an incorrect recipient, was left without a way to recover the funds.

“I was really surprised when I heard from them,” Shah said after receiving a $1,000 e-transfer from a generous reader. “I didn’t expect anything like that to happen. It just felt unreal that a complete stranger was willing to help out.”

Shah's story gained attention after he shared his experience of inputting one wrong digit in the e-transfer. Following the publication of his story, a reader contacted a reporter, who then connected them with Shah. Although he did not speak directly with the donor, Shah felt the warmth in their message.

“Their message was so kind and genuine,” he said. “They sent me this money at a time that I really needed it the most. It made a huge difference for me.”

The anonymous couple was not the only one moved to help. One reader expressed her outrage at the behavior of the recipient, the bank, and Interac. “One of those entities, especially the first one, should be willing to help,” she stated. She offered to assist Shah and was among six others who reached out to offer financial support.

“I definitely wasn’t expecting this much support when I first shared what happened,” Shah said. “I didn’t think it would get this much attention or bring this many people together in the way I’ve seen. Just by seeing how many people care, or shared advice, honestly, it restored a lot of faith in humanity in me.”

Shah's decision to share his story stemmed from frustration after receiving no resolution from the bank, police, or Interac. He mentioned receiving a call from Guelph police but noted that nothing further came from it.

Scott Tracey, a media relations coordinator for Guelph police, indicated that it is “unlikely” Shah’s case would be investigated as a criminal matter. “Rather if the sender is unable to convince the recipient to return the funds, a remedy would likely need to be sought through civil channels,” Tracey explained.

Reflecting on his experience, Shah advised others in similar situations to seek help promptly. “Don’t waste time. Report it to the bank and police right away,” he urged. “And don’t just try to deal with it alone. Get advice from people whether it’s online, friends, or strangers. The main thing is to just speak up, instead of waiting and hoping the issue fixes itself.”