Man Credits $92 Quadrillion Fortune to PayPal Error

Reynolds, a PayPal customer who uses the service to buy and sell items on eBay, particularly vintage car parts, saw a surprising figure in his monthly statement, delivered Friday. That figure? $92,233,720,368,547,800, or about $92 quadrillion.

"At first I thought that I owed quadrillions,” said the down-to-earth Reynolds, according to Philly.com. "It was quite a big surprise." Double-checking his account, he discovered he neither owed that amount nor had it coming to him: His balance was zero.

Still, Reynolds said, the imaginary epic windfall left him feeling charitable. After opening the email, he donated $30 to the Democratic slate for Delaware County Council.

"I was moved to be really generous by good fortune," said the father of three.

If the prodigious account credit were true, Reynolds — who with his wife owns Reynolds Ink, a public-relations firm — said he'd pay down debts with the money.

"I'm a very responsible guy," he said. "I would pay the national debt down first. Then I would buy the Phillies, if I could get a great price."

Again, an astoundingly practical man.

Most of us would agree that PayPal shouldn't get off the hook so easily. How often has a financial company refused to acknowledge an incorrect or bogus charge and insisted a customer pay it off? If anyone should benefit from a digital accounting error, it's this guy.

At the very least, we'd love to see what souped-up vintage car he'd drive onto the field at Citizens Bank Park.