# Ca$h Cab conundrum **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** reality-or-game-show\ **Created:** [April 26, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541 "2025-04-26T18:58:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/41 "2025-04-28T07:00:24Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > _ **Never, ever** _ stop to pick up cash just lying on the sidewalk. It’s probably there to entrap you: Does this happen often where YOU live? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/42 "2025-04-28T13:59:42Z")
In Moscow, yes. I lived there full-time from 1992 to 2008, part-time until 2022. I was set up for the scam several times, but I knew better than to pick up the money. (That’s Moscow, Russia, not Idaho.) ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/43 "2025-04-28T15:40:23Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Does this happen often where you live? Finding large sums of money abandoned on the sidewalk? Depends what you mean by “large sums.” A bag of cash, no. A stray $20? Sure, very often. And like I said above, occasionally even more. Usually on the curb or by a subway turnstyle, places people either pull out their wallet or get into cars and things fall out of their pockets. My eyes are just constantly scanning the ground when I walk. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/44 "2025-04-28T16:37:20Z")
A good place to find loose change that people drop and don’t pick up is under vending machines. (Or at least it used to be before they started accepting bank cards and paper money.) When I was in college, a few minutes on my knees usually yielded enough dimes and quarters to buy a snack and a soft drink. A few years back, my daughter and I would harvest quarters from shopping carts abandoned in the parking lots of neighborhood supermarkets. It was a good father-daughter bonding activity that always paid off. The most money I ever found lying on the street was a $5 bill, and I picked it up only after I made sure no one was watching me. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/45 "2025-04-28T16:51:17Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Depends what you mean by “large sums.” A bag of cash, no. A stray $20? Sure, very often. And like I said above, occasionally even more. Usually on the curb or by a subway turnstyle, places people either pull out their wallet or get into cars and things fall out of their pockets. My eyes are just constantly scanning the ground when I walk. In life there are the droppers and the finders. I’m definitely a dropper, over the course of my life I’m probably over £200 down on accidentally dropping notes. (£60 in a single incident) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/46 "2025-04-28T17:02:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I can’t think of a reason not to use real cash. IRS purposes. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/47 "2025-04-28T17:17:07Z")
The only thing I do is look in the reject bin of the Coinstar machine. I occasionally find a silver coin. yesterday I got a nice handful with 5 wheat pennies. The oldest was a 1926 in very nice condition. Last month I got a silver ring. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/48 "2025-04-28T17:40:44Z")
The IRS cares that that the forms are filed. They are leery of cash transactions at times because amounts can be under or over reported but in this case the entire transaction is recorded so there’s nothing questionable. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/49 "2025-04-28T18:17:05Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > They are leery of cash transactions at times because amounts can be under or over reported but in this case the entire transaction is recorded so there’s nothing questionable. Last time I checked, the IRS needed receipts - not clips of a TV show. This is why they pay them in checks. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/50 "2025-04-28T18:21:07Z")
Do you think they don’t have receipts? I’m pretty sure they don’t hand contestants a wad of bills without any signature or acknowledgement. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/51 "2025-04-28T18:33:54Z")
As mentioned, the cash they show is prop cash – they give the contestants a check. They could give the contestants cash and have them sign something for tax / accounting purposes but they don’t. (The contestants do sign release forms and such) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/52 "2025-04-28T18:45:33Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > It’s one of those shows that shouldn’t be as good as it is. So good that there was a (very) short-lived spin-off in Chicago. Only 34 episodes, according to [IMDb.](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1832587/) ETA: and another in [the UK.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_Cab_(British_game_show)) That one made it to 40. ETA2: the US version was a spin-off of the UK one. Also: [WOW!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_Cab) ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/53 "2025-04-28T18:47:02Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Real money would just be so much more funner. Agreed. Checks are totally not sexy. Lying on a mound of gold coins, however, sounds really sensuous to me. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/54 "2025-04-28T18:47:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’m pretty sure they don’t hand contestants a wad of bills without any signature or acknowledgement. They don’t hand them wads of bills _at all_. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/55 "2025-04-28T18:51:24Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Lying on a mound of gold coins, however, sounds really sensuous to me. LOL From now on, every time I see you username, [I will picture this](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/uncle-scrooge-mcduck-header.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1140&h=&dpr=1.5)! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/56 "2025-04-28T18:51:40Z")
It doesn’t matter. They could. There’s no IRS or other legal reason to prevent them from doing so. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/57 "2025-04-28T18:54:07Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > From now on, every time I see you username, [I will picture this](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/uncle-scrooge-mcduck-header.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1140&h=&dpr=1.5)! AH!! LOL ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/58 "2025-04-28T19:08:48Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There’s no IRS or other legal reason to prevent them from doing so. I never said or implied there was a legal reason they couldn’t. One of the main reasons they don’t is because there are forms and paperwork that their legal teams need to prepare and send off and doing that on the street is unwieldy and impractical. There are several reasons they don’t give out cash, IRS paperwork is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/59 "2025-04-28T22:15:42Z")
Wow! Indeed. I had no idea there were so many international versions. Wonder if someone had franchise rights? I tried watching the Chicago version and only made it halfway through the first episode; the lady host had zero charisma, strictly IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541/60 "2025-04-28T22:19:23Z")
There’s a Canadian all Music trivia version. Ben has been to Vegas. Had a few famous performers in the cab. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ca-h-cab-conundrum/1017541.md?page=4)