This Kid Got Charged $300K for Pizza

The world’s most expensive pizza costs $178 and is made of some rare, fine ingredients, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, so it’s fair to say the kid who was billed $300,000 for a Domino’s pie was seriously overcharged.

Nathaniel Bolwell, a 19-year-old in the U.K., made a late-night pizza order to Domino’s that should have cost 17.99 pounds (about $30), so he was surprised to learn his account was overdrawn by 179,932.32 pounds after the purchase, Metro newspaper reports.

Naturally, the young man freaked out when he saw his account statement and called his bank immediately.

“I knew it was wrong but was terrified that I might have to pay it off or be put on a credit blacklist,” Bolwell told Metro.

It seems the employee who took Bolwell’s order entered the four-digit authorization code on his card to the end of the total, pushing the bill from two to six figures. A Domino’s spokesperson told Metro the transaction was flagged and reversed, but Bolwell’s bank still authorized it. The bank investigated and reversed the charges.

Debit-card processing errors are particularly problematic because you may need the money in your checking account to pay bills. If you’re charged the wrong amount and overdraw your account as another payment hits, you may end up in a mess of late fees and financial issues that may take a while to untangle. That’s one of the risks of using a debit card, which is why it’s crucial to monitor your transaction activity for errors or signs of fraud.

The same goes for credit card use (though the money won’t instantly come out of your pocket). You never want to be unaware of a mistake on your financial records, because the longer it goes unnoticed, the more problems it can cause: Inability to pay your bills or making late payments can hurt your credit standing. Make sure you also keep tabs on your credit by requesting your free annual credit reports (inaccurate information there can hurt your credit scores) and checking your credit scores using free tools like those on Credit.com.