If you found a wallet full of cash, be honest, would you take it?

Question

tbh I’d probably take it….💀
I’d feel bad because I imagine losing all that cash would obviously suck. But at the same time…. that’s their own fault.

Because A) who in this day and age, walks around with stacks of cash? Put that shit in a bank account, you’re ASKING to be robbed

and B) they should be more responsible with their shit. If you know you have a wallet with hundreds or even thousands of dollars in it, than why are you just leaving it places?

TheorionMage · Accepted Answer

Two conflicting issues exist. FOREMOST, is there a means to identify the wallet's owner? IF NOT, the second issue come into affect.

'Legal tender' is in fact what is known as a 'bearer bond', ... it is a ARBITRARY placeholder of 'worth' 'X' amount of anyone's time / efforts. Its inedible and without an agreed-upon 'value'... is in and of itself intrinsically WITHOUT 'worth'', which is HOW its vulnerable to be illegally duplicated (counterfeit-ed)

I once worked for the Radisson Hotel Burlington and on a late weekend night after the hotel's in-house nightclub had closed. Myself, the Night Mgr and the Night Auditor were gathered on the hotel's Mezzanine. We'd been there about fifteen minutes in the wee hours and I happened to look down and saw a $100 bill lying upon the floor near my foot. Casually, I moved such that my foot covered it. It was apparent that NONE of us had accidentally dropped it. As they walked off, I stooped down and scooped it up to their chagrin.

Later I'd learned that the night manager reported the incident to the HR Mgr, believing I should have surrendered it. I in turn queried the HR Mgr. if any guest or patron had. reported the loss of CASH, if so, I WOULD return this 'BEARER BOND'.

Procedurally, both the HR Mgr and myself knew pragmatically it would have been held 24-48 hrs and then been made 'property' of the hotel, placed in misc. funds, rather than returned TO ME!

The hotel had done NOTHING to warrant its 'ownership' as the bill was discovered in a COMMON PUBLIC AREA... not some 'privy' staff only back of house.
HR was upset, even though I offered to have said 'worth' deducted from my paycheck. They KNEW legally I was on firm legal precedent! ;)

MrOracle · Accepted Answer

I've found and returned a couple of wallets, but the most memorable example was one night, I was driving on a busy street a few towns away, and I saw some money ($20 bills) in the road. I immediately pulled over and started picking them up - and there were quite a few more than I initially saw. But as I continued to look, I found a wallet with a few more $20s inside of it, along with a driver's license and some other stuff.

It took 2-3 days (this was in the early 90s, before anyone but universities and defense contractors had Internet access) to track the guy down, but I got him back his wallet and money. I think it ended up being $40 short - I guess a couple of bills got by me, with all of the traffic on that busy road - but needless to say he had no idea where he'd lost his wallet (he'd been on a motorcycle), and never expected to see it again.

EmyyWolf · Accepted Answer

I’d turn it in. Because
A) I wouldn’t want that to happen to me
B) I feel like God and the Angels are always watch me
C) I find more honor in not stealing someone hard earned cash
D) I wouldn’t want someone to do it to me
E) I Prefer to be respectful of other’s property than not to be
D) I’ve come across this situation in real life while working at a very busy mall full of tourists. Tourists tend to bring stacks of literal cash/dollar bills of Brazilian or EUROS, then all exchange it for U. S dollars and carry STACKS. They’ll take thousands with them and go shopping in American Malls. Well I found a wallet with Literal Thousands of dollar bills and a Brazilian Mans information and everything in this one enormous wallet. I went and turned it in. At the HELP CENTER we all tried to contact the man through Facebook and we found him. He got all his money back.

(Everything in this 3rd dimensional material world is all nice BUTT. We’re all only here as a test. The plants witness our actions. The animals witness our actions. The angels witness our actions. You can believe me or not. Nothing is a secret in Gods eyes. No Abu$e, No An! mal Torture, No R4pe. We can have our doors closed all we want. But everything, absolutely everything is being watched)

SkyCastle90 · Accepted Answer

Yes, I've done it before.

Went to a Wells Fargo atm after closing and saw a wallet on the number pad. Of course, my fiance was nosy and looked for identification. He found it and realized the guy lived just up the road and wanted to deliver the wallet.

Speaking from a women's perspective, I was like, "That's unsafe, we dont know what this man is about."

So fiance research the name and saw public records that this guy is a criminal with a lengthy past and recent arrest. Fiance had a troubled past as a minor and wanted to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. I found the empathy sweet, but where my fiance troubles with the law stopped, this man continued.

I called non-emergency and an officer volunteered to come by. The officer saw the name and wanted to know details where the wallet was found, so I told her everything.

Sonorous · Answer

Unless I'm somewhere starving to death, I'd always try to return it. I know what it feels like to have stuff stolen from me. Doesn't feel good. Especially when you've worked hard for it.

Plus, you could make a wealthy ally! That could prove to be more beneficial in the long run if you play your cards right!

SphynxUK · Answer

If I found a wallet, which I have twice, I would hand it in or return to owner if the address was close.

When I was about 6, I found a small envelope in the street. I opened it out of interest, and money was inside. I felt really scared, and gave it to my mum. It was apparently a wage packet, but had no name, company or identifying detail. She kept it. I’m glad about that to be honest, as we were really poor, and it put food on the table. Years later she told me she felt really about it, but needed to feed us….

theothersider · Answer

Back when the pandemic started my husband and I went to the ATM to draw some money out ( didn't know at that time how things were going to shake out) my husband walked up to the machine he then turned around and flagged me down not wanting to get out of the truck since our kids were in the back. he came back over and told me some one left their money sticking out of the dispenser slot on the atm. so I asked how much is it. He counted it it was $400... I told him to take it back into the bank.

I mean we could have likely kept it. but I couldn't help but think it was some little old lady that got confused and forgot her money or a mom distracted by her kids lost her rent payment so I just couldn't keep it.

Screenwriter · Answer

If there was a name and address, I'd make every effort to contact the person and hold on to the wallet using driver's license etc enclosed.

I'd give it a week or 10 days for a response and if there were none, then you've done everything that could be done without a phone number.

My name and phone are listed and if you find my DL, you can get in contact with me and my wallet "FULL OF CASH!"

HA! I never have a wallet full of cash for more than two days, and have never dropped or lost one... So this is a doubtful scenario...

OpenClose · Answer

I mean I would certainly be tempted. But at the same time, I always return a wallet it send it to lost and found. Either way, if I'm the one returning it and cash is missing, it traces directly back to me. Chances are, it isn't nearly enough money to ease my conscience anyway.

Mind you, if it were some like super expensive name brand wallet and had 5k in cash, and I really needed the money, I might take a grand if they don't ask me for my ID when I return it. Then give fake info. But like it would have to be pretty obvious they aren't hurting for cash.

Otherwise, not worth it for risk of getting caught or having my conscience eat away at me.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

I've already found lots of money and saw to it that the owners got it back. One time, it was a check or two ad a couple money orders totaling a few hundred dollars. I tracked down the guy that owned them and he came to pick them up. Another time, I found a wallet at the library and got ion touch with the owner and set up a time to meet her where she works to give it back to her. There was a $10.00 in it when I found it and it was STILL there when I gave it back! She checked the wallet when I gave it to her and I hung around for a moment to see if she had any issues about its contents and then she decided to give me the 10 spot! I refused to take it and told her I didn't do it for a reward, I just wanted to see to it she got her wallet back. And then I left.
Now, had there just been money by itself and no way to track down who it belonged to, yeah! I'd keep it!
If I could total up every bit of money I ever found in my life, I'd say I found a couple hundred, so far.

Anonymous · Answer

Your username contracticts your thoughts and actions. You're being a lesser thief, not 'great'.
My conscience won't let me do that. I will rather work hard than being a beggar only for some cash. You're even a bigger douchebag if you steal huge amount of cash. You'll also face losses in future one way or another. It's their money, not like they dropped it on purpose.
What if the one who lost his wallet comes back to check and you get caught? Or if other people make a scene for you getting spotted while stealing a wallet? I hope your stuff gets stolen, then you'll realize how it feels to loose something valuable.

Anonymous · Answer

I used to work at a museum and I'll never forget finding this backpack with about 1,000 in cash, and a couple of game systems in it. Turns out one of the teachers for the school group WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING THIS BAG TO MAKE SURE THE KIDS DIDN'T LOSE THEIR STUFF just left it behind. I returned it to her immediately. I have returned wallets, purses, credit cards, you name it and I've had my credit card returned to me by a restaurant. You literally do not know people's situations. The money may be the only they have to pay their light bill, or medications for their kid, or they've been saving up for a while for something, or it's just their hard earned money. Knowing how bad it sucks to lose your stuff and not have it returned to you, always return.

DWornock · Answer

Perhaps when I was younger but not anymore. I might if it was enough to make a real difference in my life. For example, if I found a bag of cash of $1 million that fell out of a Brinks truck, I would keep it. That would be a difference maker in my life. However, a wallet with a couple thousand dollars would not change my life in any meaningful way. Therefore, if I could identify the owner, I would return it. If I couldn't find the owner, after making a reasonable effort, I would keep it. I certainly would never turn it over to the police because, since police are dishonest, they would keep it.

Anonymous · Answer

I voted B. When I was younger, I used to take some money out of it, before turning it in. I figured I deserved a little something for finding the dude's wallet. Now, with so many people being honest and getting nothing in return, I'd probably just take some and put the wallet back. But at the same time, you never know these days if someone's setting you up or not.
My co-worker found $100 bill once and turned it in. I would've kept it. I found a bag of $100 in quarters once and kept it. I agree with you, they are stupid for carrying it and losing it, and who's gonna pass up free money especially in this day and age?

I once found a brand new cell phone on the trail, and I tried to keep it, but the ATT people said they couldn't transfer my chip into it, so I made a few international calls and threw it in the garbage. The guy must've been pissed, I personally would have been, but at the same time, people should watch their shit.

Cutegirlselvi · Answer

It would never be possible for me to accept it. Also, some people keep photographs of their loved ones or deceased ones in it as a souvenir, and their hard-earned money may have been needed for something truly essential, so if I take it with me knowing that someone will be running around looking for their wallet/purse, I will undoubtedly feel guilty.

Jasmine-Darkfire · Answer

This is confusing cause the law says here to turn it in, then after two years if no one claims it, then it is yours. They will not let you know though if someone claimed it because if no one claims it, or you do not go back and get it, law enforcement gets to keep it.

I would turn it in, if they contacted me and said no one claimed it, its yours but there is no way I am going to remember to check back in two years. Life is busy and I will lose track of time and forget.

ChrisMaster69 · Answer

When I was a kid we played this ‘game’ where we would get a purse (usually) and fill it with dog shit.

Then leave it where there were only the odd person walking, so they could spot it, pick it up and walk round the corner.

the number that walked round the corner and without looking put their fingers inside…

we would then run out and laugh at them.

Anonymous · Answer

2 years back, i did find a wallet... about 80 bucks, bankcard (pin code on a little piece of paper in the back), credit card and driving licence

To get it into comparison, at that point i lived 2 years on the street

I took a 5 bucks bill and the coins...

I didn't copy the credit cards number or took money from the bank account... i turned the wallet at the next police station in...

I thought sometimes maybe i wouldn't be on the street anymore if I used all in the wallet... but then, I wanna live in a better world, and the world can't get better if I do not start by myself...

ArrowheadSW · Answer

Turn it in ASAP. I found a thick fat wallet in a store parking lot a couple of years ago and I only opened it long enough to see where the owner lived from his driver's license. Coincidentally there were two policemen arresting someone on the sidewalk near me, (and it was in a nice part of town also which was odd), so I waited for them to put the guy in the car. Then I handed the wallet to one of them. The policeman actually seemed grateful that someone would turn it in... LOL

Innocently_Pure · Answer

Even if I need a lots of money, I would take it, "BUT" I will gave it back. Leaving it in the same spot is a bad idea. What if after not taking it, the person behind you will take it and steal the money? It's not like, when the owner comes back, the money is still there. There are many selfish people in this world. So taking the wallet and look for the owner, or, if you have time, wait for the owner at the exact spot where you found the wallet is the best thing to do. Look for some business card or anything that can help you contact the owner. You never know, what if the owner of the wallet is Elon Musk, or Bill Gates, if you gave it back to them full, maybe they'll give you a price as a thank you gift.

MCheetah · Answer

It really does depend on who it belongs to. If it's some rich asshole, I'm taking 100% of the cash. If they're working class and it's not that much money, like say $500, then I'll return all of it, and try to let them know I found it by telling nearby businesses.

Lliam · Answer

The wallet would probably contain ID. I'd try to contact the owner and return it.

I've found $20 bills before and kept them. And once I found a $100 bill on the floor in the super market. I figured anyone with a $100 bill was a seasonal trimmer pot trimmer so I didn't feel bad about quietly pocketing it.
Sometimes you just get lucky.

Socal99 · Answer

What goes around comes around first you would feel like such a smock if you actually had a fucking heart and plus what if that person that dropped it that it was full of money and credit cards was going through something in life maybe he had that money in there something in his family or maybe to put it down payment for his daughter who's in the hospital or maybe he pulled it out to help one of his friends out who's struggling with money and then you go and steal it that's fucked up

Levin · Answer

I'd hand it in. I mean, who gives a shit about even a £1000 anyway. Can't buy anything with that unless you're destitute. Are you destitute or something?

I'D hand it I'm even if it had 10000s in it. I'm just built that way. And in any case, karma is a bitch.

I also find the concept of handing the wallet in but keeping the cash funny. Does that really absolve a conscience?

If you found a wallet full of cash, be honest, would you take it?

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