# Found Wallet -- How to Contact Owner Quickly? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 29, 2016, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228 "2016-07-29T21:15:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2016, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/41 "2016-07-31T23:09:39Z")
> [@Me\_Billy](#): > > Take it to your local Police Department. Absolutely do not take it to the police department unless you’re a 55+ white woman or they’ll likely try to pin a case of theft on you. Bundle everything up and drop it in a mailbox. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/42 "2016-08-01T04:37:37Z")
I lost my wallet once, fell out of my pocket getting back into the car after shopping. I didn’t even know I’d lost it til the local Police department rang me to say they had it. (I thought it was a prank call at first) Someone had helped them self to the money I had in there (no much) and dropped the wallet into the police saying they had found it like that. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/43 "2016-08-02T03:32:14Z")
I found a wallet on the sidewalk a couple months ago, luckily the address on the ID was on the same block so I just gave it to the doorman to ring his apt. One time I found someone’s paycheck on the stairs exiting a LIRR platform. It was a Friday evening and I tried looking up the name on Facebook but could not find the person. I ended up mailing it back to the company who wrote the check. I’ve also found so many debit/credit cards I’ve lost count. At least 6. Several on the ground in Times Square, many others on steps going into the subway. People take out their metrocard and their credit card falls out. In all those cases I’ve just called the card company to say I found the card and to let the card owner know. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/44 "2016-08-02T06:46:50Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > I found a wallet last year and called the woman’s local car insurance agent and asked him to contact her. I dropped the wallet off to his office and she picked it up then called me with her thanks. Wow, that seems like a terrible party to trust with a wallet. Glad it worked out but I would never do that. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2016, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/45 "2016-08-02T07:11:05Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > I lost my wallet once, fell out of my pocket getting back into the car after shopping. I didn’t even know I’d lost it til the local Police department rang me to say they had it. (I thought it was a prank call at first) > > Someone had helped them self to the money I had in there (no much) and dropped the wallet into the police saying they had found it like that. Maybe they did find it like that? It could have passed through other hands. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/46 "2016-08-08T17:16:07Z")
Last time I returned something to the police, their _profound_ and undisguised disinterest was a signal they would make little effort to reunite lost property. I would never turn in anything important to the transit company (DC Metro system) due to its reputation. So I sent a snail-mail letter to the most likely-looking of the two addresses in his wallet, and he called me on Saturday past to arrange to meet. We met Sunday morning, not far from my house. Young guy, so he might have been really happy to get the $140.00 in cash, at least. He offered me $20.00, but I just suggested he pay it forward. He probably had to cancel his credit cards, but at least he didn’t have to wait in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles for a new license. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/47 "2016-08-08T18:06:17Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > Absolutely do not take it to the police department unless you’re a 55+ white woman or they’ll likely try to pin a case of theft on you. Bundle everything up and drop it in a mailbox. It must be a very sad and miserable life, being that paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/48 "2016-08-08T18:29:00Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Does it have a bank card or bank issued credit card? Take it there. Call either a (local) bank/debit card or premium credit card customer service line. Both will have some way to contact the holder and help you make arrangements to drop the wallet off or get it back to the owner quickly. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/49 "2016-08-08T18:30:42Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > It must be a very sad and miserable life, being that paranoid. Seconded. What an odd post. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/50 "2016-08-08T20:17:23Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Call either a (local) bank/debit card or premium credit card customer service line. Both will have some way to contact the holder and help you make arrangements to drop the wallet off or get it back to the owner quickly. Two posts above yours, the OP describes how he has already reunited the owner with the wallet. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/51 "2016-08-08T21:33:55Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > This. > > White pages is a non-starter – nobody has a landline any more. Yeah, only around 40%.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228/52 "2016-08-08T21:50:14Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > It must be a very sad and miserable life, being that paranoid. It’s called “being a realist” my friend. If anything is missing the cops take the path of least resistance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-wallet-how-to-contact-owner-quickly/761228.md?page=2)