No one was in line when I found it on the floor.I put the bill in my pocket and walked out to my car all happy.Less than a minute later an elderly man asked me if I found any money in the bank as he misplaced some.I asked him how much money did you lose. He replied 100.00 I knew he was the rightfull owner.I reached into my pocket and gave him his money.All bummed out.Later I felt good about myself for doing the right thing.
What entitlements would I have had if I told him no.
Is this a case of finders keepers? Anyways I felt I did the right thing. Comments?? Thank you and sorry for such a long question>
2007-07-25 12:11:36 · 25 answers · asked by John 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Thank you to all of you for your kind answers.
2007-07-25 12:35:07 · update #1
I think you did the right thing returning the $100 bill back to the elderly man.
Usually, if you find any significant amount of money or valueable item, you should turn it in at a police station. They should ask you for your information and where you found it. If no one claims it in a certain amount of time, then, you are entitled to it.
For insignificant amount of money, it is truly up to the finder's own ethics and morals.
In your case, I would have picked it up and waited for a while to see if anyone comes back looking for it. If no one comes, I would ask the bank tellers/security if anyone was looking for it. If not, then, I'm sure I'd be tempted to keep it for my own... but I would still check with the closest police station. Better to be sure no one would really miss it and to be sure I'm not violating any rights/laws than having something I wasn't supposed to have anyways.
I'm sure the elderly man is still really thankful for your honesty and I admire your honesty as well. Good job~!!
2007-07-25 12:27:17 · answer #1 · answered by April Aries 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, you found it on the floor of the bank and would have been on camera, so it would show him dropping it and you picking it up, so if he really wanted to take you to small claims court for it and get it back he probably could.
But for a relatively small amount of money like that, it's probably finders keepers. But if a person could genuinely see it was someone else's money, that's such a loser thing to do. If someone would take $100 from an old man, they really need to get a life.
2007-07-25 12:18:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You did the righ thing! I'm sure the bank had a recording of you picking up the money and I'm sure the old man asked the bank if anyone turned in any money and I'm sure they would of looked at the recordings later if the man didn't say you turned in the money to him! Good job on doing the right thing!! :)
2007-07-25 13:16:49 · answer #3 · answered by Jamie Sunshine 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, morally you did the right thing..If you had told him no, I don't think he would say anything much as he can't exactly prove you took it... Had the same incident once when I was younger, I did the opposite and was soon filled with guilt and misery after that...Of coz the feelings came after the money was spent,hahaha....What ??!! I was young and so tempted by the dark side... Anyway, good for you, you could have saved his life...who knows, maybe the money is needed for his wife's operation???? A star for you...
2007-07-25 14:59:26 · answer #4 · answered by LadyRain_614 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That money could mean a lot to a person- being able to buy food this month, pay to keep the lights & heat on, or keep a roof over their head. You did the right thing. Honest people will be rewarded in due time.
2007-07-25 12:23:42 · answer #5 · answered by tigersue 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you did the right thing. Similar thing happened to me. I had my check cashed at the drive-up window, and noticing the car waiting behind me, I did count the money, twice, in a hurry. It seemed like it might be too much, but I went on to the grocery store. I counted it again when I parked, and sure enough, the teller had given me $100 too much. She almost fainted when I drove up and handed it to her. She would have had to replace it when her drawer count came up short.
A friend of mine said, "You could have kept it and no one would have known". My answer to him was, "But I would know".
Good for you!
2007-07-25 18:24:44 · answer #6 · answered by Eyes 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Tycnially it is yours. If it was in a wallet it would be a different story. But, if you found a $100 and he says he lost a $100 it was probally his. You did a very good dead. You will be rewarded some day. Just think if you lost the $.
2007-07-25 12:17:10 · answer #7 · answered by Metallica_rulz 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Legally, it is never "finder's/keeper's". Even if you found $5 in the sand in the desert, you are obliged (legally) to turn it in to police, whereupon a time period must elapse with no one coming forward to claim it, before it becomes yours. This is true of any lost and found property.
2007-07-25 15:16:59 · answer #8 · answered by vinny_the_hack 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You did the right thing. The thing to do, if that happens again is to turn it into a bank teller or manager. If no one claims it in a certain amount of time you can claim it
2007-07-25 12:17:21 · answer #9 · answered by Ryan's mom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I respect your decision. Yay! I once found a handful of cash in a basket at the farmer's market. I was tempted to keep it as I picked out fruit. But, alas I handed it over feeling good about my choice.
Anyways, if you found a kid on the street, would you have the right to keep him/her???? hahaaha
2007-07-25 17:52:38 · answer #10 · answered by Mary C 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋