A Massachusetts woman found $28,260 missing from her bank account after a gas company allegedly withdrew money for a bill she did not owe

A Massachusetts woman was left facing an unexpected financial crisis after National Grid allegedly withdrew $28,260.60 from her bank account to cover a gas bill that the company had previously acknowledged was incorrect. Madison Wise, from Malden, found herself with a negative bank balance after the money was taken, leaving her unable to pay for everyday essentials. The incident came weeks after she had contacted the utility company about the unusually large bill and was reportedly assured that she owed nothing.A Massachusetts woman ended up with a $28,260 gas billAccording to CBS News Boston, Wise's troubles began in April 2026 when she opened a National Grid account in her name for a new apartment her family was preparing to move into. However, the family never got the opportunity to settle into the property. Before they could move in, the building was condemned and the lease was terminated.The utility account had been registered in Wise's name for just 3 days, making the size of the subsequent bill particularly alarming. Despite the brief period, she received a gas bill amounting to $28,260.60.The amount was far beyond what she could reasonably have expected for such a short period. Wise contacted National Grid because she believed there had been a mistake. During her initial conversation with the company, a representative reportedly told her that the bill was hers.Wise questioned the explanation, pointing out that the amount was comparable to the price of a new car and far more money than she had ever seen in one place. After further checking, however, the representative discovered that the bill had been generated because of an incorrect meter reading.The company representative reportedly confirmed that the bill was wrong and that Wise owed nothing. Believing the matter had been settled, she thought she could put the incident behind her.The withdrawal that left her bank account overdrawnThe situation took a more serious turn several weeks later when Wise woke up to discover that National Grid had withdrawn the entire $28,260.60 from her checking account.According to CBS News Boston, the unexpected debit pushed her account into a negative balance. The withdrawal was particularly damaging because the company had already informed her that the original charge was based on a faulty meter reading and that she had no outstanding balance.Money that was meant to cover essential household expenses had effectively disappeared from her account.Wise said she could no longer make ordinary purchases, including groceries and fuel for her car. The situation also raised concerns about other payments that were scheduled to leave her account automatically. With her rent due within a week, she feared that the unexpected negative balance would cause further financial problems.Why did the delayed refund create such a serious problemThe withdrawal affected more than Wise's bank balance. She was caring for her 2-year-old child and was also pregnant at the time, making access to money particularly important for her family's everyday needs.Speaking to CBS News Boston, she described the experience as an overwhelming period of panic. She was worried about being unable to buy food, fill her car with petrol or pay for necessary medical appointments during her pregnancy.When she contacted National Grid again, she was reportedly informed that returning the money could take between seven and 10 days. For someone whose account had been pushed into the negative by a withdrawal of more than $28,000, the proposed waiting period was a major concern. Wise explained that the company did not initially appear to understand the scale of the problem.National Grid responds after the woman contacts local reportersAfter struggling to get the issue resolved, Wise approached CBS Boston's I-Team Call for Action, a consumer assistance initiative that investigates complaints and helps people deal with companies.The intervention appeared to bring a rapid change in the company's response. Wise told CBS that within approximately two hours of contacting the programme, she received a call from National Grid's president's office.During the call, the company apologised for the trouble caused and assured her that it would take steps to return the money. Wise said she was told that the refund would be sent immediately.National Grid subsequently issued a statement acknowledging the impact of the incident and apologising to its customer. The company said it had refunded the charge and was working with Wise's bank to ensure the money was returned as quickly as possible.It also said it was reviewing the account to understand what had caused the error and was working directly with Wise to make sure the matter was fully resolved.The company indicated that the process of getting the funds back into her account could take two to three days, a shorter timeframe than the seven to 10 days initially communicated to her.The company agrees to cover additional financial consequencesThe response also included measures intended to address the financial difficulties caused by the withdrawal. According to CBS News Boston, Wise told the I-Team that National Grid had agreed to cover any overdraft fees and bounced cheques resulting from the incident.The utility also offered to provide credits to her account. She said the incident had made her question whether the same thing could happen to other customers.You use AI every day. 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