Would you keep money you found on the store floor?

Question

We keep finding money on the floor at stores. I look around to see if anyone is searching for their money, and if there isn't I pick the money up and leave quickly. Is this dishonest?
On one hand this could be considered dishonest but on the other hand we don't keep track of serial numbers on our bills so could have fallen from my own pocket for all we know. In other words, how can one prove that a bill belongs to a certain person.
Any opinions?

Answer 1

If I found the money and I didn't see anyone searching for something. I might wait a little bit and keep looking around , then I would keep it. Let's face it, when you are dealing with cash, and you actually turned it in, how many people out there would say it belonged to them? Everyone! A check or money order or something similar to this is a different story, I would definitely turn this in, but cash, there is no proof who it belongs to, and no way of finding out, because everyone would claim it. I don't feel this is dishonest.

Answer 2

Depends on the amount of the money, I think. If it's a random wadded-up one dollar bill that clearly fell out of someone's pocket, and there is no one else in the aisle, sure, keep it. If someone else is nearby, ask out loud, "Anybody lost this?" They will look around and recognize the moeny if it is theirs, but if it isn't they probably won't try to dispute your claim.

If it's a twenty or larger, tell the store manager that you found some lost money, and that you will return it if the owner comes forth to seek it at the lost and found. Give the manager your phone number so they can call you.

As a rule of thumb, you should make some effort to find the owner, and only the real owner will make any effort to retrace and find their money. So if you don't meet in the middle, the money is yours.

For very large amounts, in the hundreds, contact the police. They have a special procedure whereby they will hold the money for a certain amount of time and then return it to you if it is unclaimed.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Having worked as a bookkeeper, bank teller and merchant, I would say keep it IF
1.) It is not found near a register
2.) The staff does not walk around with money in their aprons
3.) You did not see it drop.

Also, if you find spare change on the floor of a bank, ask about the bank's policy on overages. The teller might have to report an over/short report that will affect their record, depending on the bank.

Most retail stores have a policy of $20 short/over before taking action with the workers, so turning in money at a retail store could also affect these workers, sometimes negatively. Therefore, they will often take the money, and not report it, vs going through the hassle of reporting it if you do turn it in. Besides, it's human nature.

Answer 5

I don't htink that it's dishonest if no one is around looking for it
but as a test to make sure it's not u dropping the money u could keep better track or the money you carry around like maybe carry it in an envelope
or if u still fell bad about it u could give it to a homeless person or one of thos charity containers in a store

Answer 6

There is no way to prove it unless you saw someone drop the money or heard someone is looking for the exact amount you found. If you were to turn it over to the store clerk most likely they would pocket it themselves.

I wouldn't necessarily flee the store though. I would continue my shopping and keep my eyes and ears open for anyone who looks like they're searching. If you were to approach someone and ask them if they lost it they could tell you they had even if they didn't. If you haven't "found" the person who lost the money by the time you're ready to leave then the money is yours.

Answer 7

I say finders keepers. You're doing the right thing looking around to see if anyone is looking for it. If it was a large amount, I would tell the manager and if someone came looking for it then they could call you. One way to be sure it belonged to that person is to not tell the manager the amount you found and when someone called and said it was there's ask how much they lost and where and the date etc.

Answer 8

you're asking if it's dishonest.....
well if you grab the money and "leave quickly" i think you know the answer...cuz if you feel the need to flee then you probably know you are doing something wrong
....the money does not belong to you...period....
however, it's an interesting situation because what do you do with the money if you don't keep it?....you don't see the owner of the money about....do you give it to the store in case the owner calls for it?....and what are the chances that the employee wouldn't just keep the money for themselves.....
if it were me, i'd probably keep the money-finders keepers!

Answer 9

Turn it in to the lost and found department. Somewhere, some time, someone may come looking for lost money. What a treat to find someone turned it in. If they know the denomination of the note they lost, there is little to prevent anyone from saying it isn't theirs.

Further, if there is no lost and found, call the police and turn it in to them. The last thing we need are more people playing the child's grabby game of "finder's keepers,"

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Behave toward others as you would like to have them behave toward you

Answer 10

One time I found a twenty dollar bill on the floor at the grocery store. I asked several people in the area if they lost any money, and no one did. I told the manager, and he said to keep it since no one claimed it. I did feel bad, though. Years later, I went to our local power company to pay my bill, and I found $280.00 on the sidewalk outside. There was no way I was going to keep that, so I went inside and showed it to the security guard. He asked everyone in the room if anyone had lost any money. After a few seconds, a lady said that she had-$280.00. She was going to pay her bill and it had fallen out of her coat pocket. She didn't say thank you to me, but that's ok, I went home with a very clear conscience!