A recently retired Ontario man was shocked to receive a letter from the federal government stating he would get more than $60,000 a month in old age security payments instead of the $600 a month he anticipated.

In February, John Easton opened up a letter from Employment and Social Development Canada that stated he was to receive $60,145 every month as per the government’s Old Age Security program.

“[I was] very surprised to see that the letter contained a monthly benefit of $60,145,” Easton told CTV Toronto on Monday. “I was like ‘Wow! That sounds great, but it can’t be right.’”

The Scarborough, Ont. resident said he couldn’t help but imagine how that amount of money would change his retirement plans.

“$60,000 a month? That would just radically change my lifestyle,” he said. “I was fantasizing for a few minutes about what I could do with all of this money.”

However, Easton pushed those thoughts from his mind and contacted Employment and Social Development Canada to report the letter, which he assumed was a mistake.

A spokesperson for the government agency confirmed to CTV News that a “technical issue with the production of a batch of old age security and guaranteed income supplement entitlement letters” was responsible for the error on Easton’s letter.

In the statement, the spokesperson went on to say that “the monthly benefit amounts… were incorrectly stated” and “Service Canada will be sending correction letters to the individuals affected by this error.”

The spokesperson said the error applies to letters dated Feb. 10, 2019 concerning March payments.

Employment and Social Development Canada didn’t specify how many people have been affected by the error.

Easton said he’s just hoping his first monthly cheque in March is for the $600 he originally expected and not the amount printed in the letter.

“I would be too nervous and too scared to touch it,” he said with a laugh.