[iWrite]

Okay. So this is the deal.

Say you're going to the bank and you pull into a parking space just vacated by a big expensive 500 series Mercedes Benz. You noticed something flutter to the ground as the guy got into the car, but didn't really see what it was. But, as you pull in you notice a pouch on the ground. You pick it up. In it is not a lot of money, less than $300.

Do you immediately take it into the bank and return it?

Do you keep it and think about it for a while and decide to return it?

Do you keep it -- a guy in a Mercedes probably doesn't care anyway?

[nonhuman]

Keep it, but I don't really see how that's dishonesty. It's not like I made any promise to return any money I found or told the guy that he didn't drop any money or anything.

[thunderous_funker]

Isn't this just an example of Trickle Down Economics?

[iWrite]

Interesting answers.

Anyone else?

[Timo]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
Isn't this just an example of Trickle Down Economics?

[MindFad]

Originally posted by thunderous_funker:
Isn't this just an example of Trickle Down Economics?

I will definitely keep it. The Universe will still go 'round even though this person has now lost a few pieces of important paper. I wouldn't expect anyone to return my lost money.

Edit: From reading below, I also would give him the money if he were within reach�like if I saw him driving away, or what have you. I was assuming he was plenty gone and I just happened upon the money. I wouldn't take it into the bank, that's for sure.

[neigh-neigh-woo]

I would take it back, these days , assuming that I have enough money myself.

I have had little in the past, and at times like that I would keep it and be able to get some food pay bills etc.


What would you do ?

[iWrite]

Interesting answer, neigh-neigh.

So, if you had enough money you would give it back, but if you needed money at the time, you would keep it?

Now, what about bank cameras? Isn't anyone worried about a bank camera keeping track?

[mrfrost]

If the guy is still within my reach I would try to get his attention and give him back his money. If he already left I think I would keep the money to myself and put it onto my savings account.

[talisker]

Originally posted by iWrite:
Interesting answer, neigh-neigh.

So, if you had enough money you would give it back, but if you needed money at the time, you would keep it?

Now, what about bank cameras? Isn't anyone worried about a bank camera keeping track?

I don't see how it's anything to do with the bank - it's not their money. If the guy had just robbed the bank they may have a legitimate interest I suppose.

Wherever I've lived the proper course of action has been to turn in lost property / money etc to the police. If it was $500 that's probably what I'd do. If it was $20 on the other hand...

[wolfen]

I would not keep the money. I'd try to flag him down, get his license plate, or whatever.

Worst case scenario, I'd give it to a local charity, buy clothes for a needy child, whatever.

No way I'm takin' it for my own conspicuous consumption. Bad karma.


wolfen

[kmkkid]

This happened to my mom one time, she dropped 2 $100 bills in a grocery store. It hurt us alot at that time. For all you know, it could be rent money, food money, etc.. Just because the guy's driving a ritzy car doesnt mean he has $300 to spare. I would have taken it to the bank. They cant keep it, so I'm sure if no one came to claim it, they would prolly just give it back to you. Still better to know you tried to help the person rather than just selfishly keeping the money without remorse.


Chris

[Macfreak7]

It all depends on whether i'm wearing my red socks, or my white socks.

[CollinG3G4]

Originally posted by mrfrost:
If the guy is still within my reach I would try to get his attention and give him back his money. If he already left I think I would keep the money to myself and put it onto my savings account.

Same here.

[tintub]

Give it to a deserving charity. You'll feel much better for it than if you spend it on yourself. Don't give it back to him - he doesn't give enough to charity!

[cheerios]

bank's lost and found, w/ my name as finder for if it's not claimed.

[Xeo]

I'd try to flag him down, but if I couldn't, I'd keep it.

[xylon]

Originally posted by iWrite:
Now, what about bank cameras? Isn't anyone worried about a bank camera keeping track?

Those cameras would be my first concern. Even if I thought they saw me, I'd still probably take off with the money.

[iWrite]

Well, this happened to my spouse, not to me.

I just got back from taking the money to the bank in question and depositing it in the night deposit box -- there was a deposit slip with the name of the account with the money ($257) so it will get where it's going, I suppose.

I took it back because I think I've been pretty blessed in my life and would hate to think I caused someone else a big problem...besides which, it was the right thing to do.

If I'd found the money with no idea as to whom it belonged I'd have kept it -- no question about it. But because I knew that there was a way to locate the original owner of the money via the deposit slip, I thought it was the best thing to do.

Besides, how could you ever spend money like that? I'm sure you'd run into some bad luck with it ---> if only self-fulfilling bad luck.

[Eug Wanker]

I would give it back, and then donate another $300 to charity, and then I'd move to Inner Slobovia and start my own orphanage, which I'd manage during my spare time when I'm not building and stocking first aid clinics.

But that's just me.

[OldManMac]

Assuming I didn't notice his plate number, I'd take it back into the bank. I'm sure they could track quickly who owned the money.

If it doesn't belong to me, it doesn't go home with me.

[iWrite]

Well, it was very tempting to just keep it...

But because I knew that there WAS a way to get it back to the original owner that was the deal breaker...couldn't keep it.

I hate it when I really want to do something evil and my conscience gets the better of me...

[iWrite]

Besides, just had to write out a freaking check for almost $25,000 for a new roof for our house...

If it's not one thing it's another, ain't it?

Last month we needed a new dishwasher.

The month before that a new refrigerator.

I'm sure next it'll be something like an air conditioner -- another $5,000 or something like that.

It was a lot easier just being a semi-irresponsible and self-dependent college student...ah, the days...

"Middle class" means perpetually paying bills these days.

[kcmac]

Sure it's tempting but you did the right thing. You have to give it back. What goes around comes around. Keep the good karma on your side.

[Mastrap]

Always give it back. I agree with Wolfen, the karmic boomerang just isn't worth it. And nowadays I also don't need it.
Doesn't matter to me if the owner is driving a Merc or a Neon. What isn't yours isn't yours whatever the financial status of the owner.

The biggest temptation I personally ever had was years back. I lived close to Portobello Road (the market) in London. I was working long hours as a junior art director for next to no money at the time and was on my way to meet some friends for breakfast on a Saturday morning. Tourist walking in front of me pulled out something from his pocket and dropped a fat roll of notes. He didn't notice it at all and just walked on. That money would have made a serious, if temporary difference, to my life at the time. Still, I tapped him on the shoulder and gave it back to him.

Didn't even get a single note although the guy was obviously loaded. Instead he looked at me as if I had just picked his pockets.

Oh well.

[deekay1]

if its just the money, always keep it!

why? because no matter who pulled out of that driving space, it could still be yet somebody elses money

finding a wallet, now, is somehting completetly different.

but if i'd find a suitcase with � 20,000 000 in it...i'd keep it...

[wataru]

Unless I was desperately poor or had no way of finding him I'd give it back.

[gerbnl]

What does American law say on this subject (lost + found)?

I know that here in the Netherlands, if i find something valuable and report it to the police as being found, they register it and if nobody reports anything lost and claims ownership within two years, the found object is legally mine. I'm pretty sure this includes money (which is merely an 'object' made of paper) By law, one is not required to bring the found object to the police (all-tough one can). One can safe-keep it as long it isn't claimed and if someone claims it, the finder will get a means to contact the loser (all, of course, with the losers consent)

(Oh, i'd probably keep the money in the given case)

[edit: i'd never give it to the bank. If i feel it should return to the owner, i will be the one that gives it back, i will have to assume some responsibility. Even though i'd never know, i'd hate the idea some bank employee of police-officer put's it into his or her own pocket]

[Cipher13]

I'd try to return it. If s/he was gone, I'd keep it. I'd wait around for a while to see if s/he returned, then take off with it if they didn't.

Screw giving it to the bank - someone there would just take it.

I don't see what this has to do with honesty.

[catsank]

I would also try and give it
back, but being a pirate means
it would not be easy. All my ship
mates would shout abusive
taunts, probably kill a lot of
innocent land-folk and call me
a sissy.

[PB2K]

I drive a nice car myself, and own expensive hardware, I would still miss 300$ though. Messes up my whole day, because I would be searching for the lost wallet.

I once used the wallet of a girl that spent the night with me, and posted that on this forum. I borrowed 1 $ to buy a cokecan with. You wouldn't believe the outraged ractions from ppl on this forum. So upset!

The girl is still seeing me, bytheway. She didn't mind having a different dollar in her wallet

[Cipher13]

Originally posted by PB2K:
I drive a nice car myself, and own expensive hardware, I would still miss 300$ though. Messes up my whole day, because I would be searching for the lost wallet.

I once used the wallet of a girl that spent the night with me, and posted that on this forum. I borrowed 1 $ to buy a cokecan with. You wouldn't believe the outraged ractions from ppl on this forum. So upset!

The girl is still seeing me, bytheway. She didn't mind having a different dollar in her wallet

Despicable subhuman.

[suprz's ghost]

if there were cameras in the parking lot i'd bring it into the bank. if not i would keep it.

i once found $700.00 dollars in the gutter outside a bank. (i worked across the street) i kept it in my locker for a week and when no one approached me about it, i used it to pay off bills

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by Cipher13:
Despicable subhuman.

Ciph, don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel

[PB2K]

Cipher, you are talking out of your ass ! There is nothing wrong with borrowing money from a found wallet, as long as you return it intact. Reading the posts in this thread, I am one of the more honoust people of this board. Despicable yeah.

[eklipse]

I'd give it back if at all possible, otherwise, I'd donate it to a charitable cause.

[macroy]

Originally posted by tintub:
Give it to a deserving charity. You'll feel much better for it than if you spend it on yourself. Don't give it back to him - he doesn't give enough to charity!

And you came to that conclusion...how? 'cause he drives a 500 series?

As much as I want to say I wouldn't keep the money - its one of those situations that will depend on how I feel at the moment. I've kept lost money before and I've tried to give it back. Its all the spur of the moment thing...

[voyageur]

Once I found about $100 that someone must have dropped outside the ATM machine. I told the bank I found "some money" and gave them my number in case anybody reported it. Since nobody did, I ended up putting it in the collection basket at church.
But perhaps if I was the needy one, I would have kept it myself.

However, if I had seen who dropped it, I would have given it back. It's just the right thing to do.

[iWrite]

Well, it went back to the person, that's all.

Remember that scene in Ghost with Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg when he makes her give a $4 million dollar cashier check to nuns for charity? That was me last night. Driving around and talking to myself, LOL! Finally, I forced myself to drive to the night deposit box and put it in.

[catsank]

Originally posted by iWrite:
Well, it went back to the person, that's all.

Remember that scene in Ghost with Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg when he makes her give a $4 million dollar cashier check to nuns for charity? That was me last night. Driving around and talking to myself, LOL! Finally, I forced myself to drive to the night deposit box and put it in.

;)

GHOST !, Don't talk about ghosty,
it makes my left hand go all hooky.

[Shaddim]

If they were still present or accessible I'd try to flag `em down and get it back to them immediately. If I'd seen who dropped it but they weren't there any longer I'd take it into the bank and and let them get it back to that customer. If it were just lying there and I didn't know where it came from I'd call the bank after a couple days checking to see if anyone had reported losing any money. If they said "yes" I'd ask regarding the amount, and if it matched according to amount and denominations I'd return it to the bank for them to return to the customer.

Now, out in the middle of nowhere without a clue as to ownership, I'd pocket it and not give it a second thought.

[boots]

Take it in to the bank, let them keep it for a couple of weeks, and if no-one claims it, reclaim it. That can and does happen occasionally (not that much in my experience, but hey, you can always dream).

That way I have a very clear conscience in the affair. And I might still end up with the cash.

[ckohler]

Easy. I would return the money to the bank and give them the description of the car. I'd feel really guilty if I kept it knowing someone out there might have needed it more.

Not to pat myself on the back or anything but I'm a very honest and generous person. My friends often tell me to be careful so as not to let sinister people take advantage of my good will.

[:XI:]

I'd hand it in. No matter how broke I was. Yeah, I'd think about keeping it, but I couldn't do it.

[daimoni]

.

[Gregg]

Originally posted by gerbnl:
What does American law say on this subject (lost + found)?

Well, I lost an item once, and asked a police officer that very question. He said, yes, it was a crime for someone who found it to keep it and not report it. The value of the item determined the seriousness of the charge. I seem to remember the cutoff being $250 - but that was 20 years ago.

[MindFad]

Originally posted by Mastrap:
Ciph, don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel

[nonhuman]

Originally posted by Gregg:
Well, I lost an item once, and asked a police officer that very question. He said, yes, it was a crime for someone who found it to keep it and not report it. The value of the item determined the seriousness of the charge. I seem to remember the cutoff being $250 - but that was 20 years ago.

Yeah, but it's only a crime if you get caught.

[nobitacu]

I would return it. Damn my morals.

Ming

[iWrite]

It's a CRIME to not turn in money you found?

That sounds so...fascist...ya know?

I gave it back to the bank, but if I'd found it anywhere else or had no idea where it had come from there is NO WAY I'd have turned it in.

I only turned it in because I knew that the bank could put it in the guy's account.