# Anonymous person offers you $1,000,000. Do you take it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 6, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430 "2011-02-06T20:03:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/41 "2011-02-07T19:54:56Z")
I wouldn’t “get” a lawyer, but I would consult my lawyer, just to see what he says. I’d be inclined to just walk away. I’m doing OK, money-wise. I could use a mil, sure, but I’m not in trouble without it. There’s no reason for anybody to give me money in such a ridiculous manner. Of course, I’m nothing if not curious, so I’d start digging, and try to find out what I could. Maybe consult an investigator, maybe hire Mr. Perez from Elmore Leonard’s _Unknown Man Number 89_. Or I might try to find an angle that would give me bargaining leverage in some way – just to know what it’s about, not to get the money or even the identity. I just need to catch a corner and then start to unravel the whole affair. Jones and Davis – do they like a drink after work? Do either one of them have money problems? Behind on the mortgage, maybe, especially Davis, the junior associate? There’s always an angle. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/42 "2011-02-07T20:01:03Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I’m a lawyer, and I chose “wire me the money.” Everyone saying they’d get a lawyer–why? What do you expect this lawyer to tell you that you don’t already know? Do you think it may be illegal somehow to accept a gratuitous gift of money from an anonymous person? I’m also a lawyer, but I’d ask for cash, small bills, non-sequential, right now, please. Sadly, one million is not quite enough to retire on, so I can’t send my employer the 8x10 glossy of my bare ass and a tube of lipstick…☹ ---
**Author:** ![Crackrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Crackrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crackrat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/43 "2011-02-07T20:01:07Z")
Take the check. I’d probably call my dad (a lawyer) on the way to the bank, just to make sure there’s not some consequence that I’m unaware of, but I’m not terribly worried about it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/44 "2011-02-07T20:09:57Z")
I would take the wire transfer. First of all, a prestigious law firm in my city isn’t going to use my account number to steal money from my account, at least not if they want to remain a prestigious law firm. Second, I don’t want to risk somehow losing the check between the law firm’s office and the nearest branch of my bank. Just as a precaution, I’d open a new account at my bank, transfer everything over, and close the old account, but that’s just me being extra-paranoid. I would of course want a document with Mr. Jones’ signature, setting down in writing the facts that, per the OP, they were willing to provide me with verbally. That way, I’m covered if the IRS comes knocking on my door. Then my wife and I would both cut back to being half-time employees where we work, since we have that option. Why would we keep working at all? First, as our son grows up, we’d want the fact that we work for a living to continue to be a fact that registers with him at some level. And second, to keep our lifestyle intact before Social Security and retirement funds kick in, we’d need a bit more than a million in savings. But the million would certainly help. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/45 "2011-02-08T02:12:34Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Has no-one here read _Great Expectations_? An anonymous benefactor certainly did not make Pip happy. > > I think I would refuse. I am normally a trusting sort of person, but I would not be able to shake off the feeling that there had to be a string attached, no matter how good a lawyer I could find. Besides (and I know this sounds incredibly sanctimonious, but I don’t care because it happens to be true) - my life is rich already, I don’t really need that money. I am happy as I am (although certainly far from wealthy in monetary terms). Au contraire, mon ami! Pip was not saddened until he learned who his anonymous benefactor was. Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/46 "2011-02-08T10:28:07Z")
I would get a lawyer to make sure I am not getting into anything shifty, and to ensure that I wouldn’t get into trouble if the money happens to be stolen or obtained through some illegal/questionable means. I would also like to know what obligations there are too. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/47 "2011-02-08T12:40:18Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Au contraire, mon ami! > Pip was not saddened until he learned who his anonymous benefactor was. > > Best wishes, > hh True enough - I think my point is that having read the book, I would be constantly concerned that my anonymous benefactor may one day reveal themselves, with dire consequences. Basically, I’m happy as I am, I don’t need the stress inherent in this situation. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/48 "2011-02-08T12:48:40Z")
I wish all these hypothetical questions involving millions of dollars being handed out weren’t quite so imaginary and were actually really happening. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430/49 "2011-02-08T13:38:50Z")
Real money? No strings attached? Hell, I want’em. Now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anonymous-person-offers-you-1-000-000-do-you-take-it/570430.md?page=2)