And another thing:
samarm wrote
Bullshit. The people that would take the money and didn’t respond here didn’t respond because they have a decent sense of shame, and hopefully that shame would change their mind when the moment came.
There is nothing. and I mean nothing admirable about someone who not only would do something immoral, but in addition feels no qualms about admitting it to others.
Over the years I have returned five or six wallets. All of them had money in them when I found them. ($25-100) and credit cards. I have returned all but one to the owner myself, the last one had a bad address, so I turned it into the police.
If you want to hear what grateful sounds like, call someone up who has lost a wallet, and tell them you have it.
When the people have come to the house to pick up their wallet, the first thing they do is check the cash. When they find it is all there, they really get happy.
Every person so far has given me a reward, even though I have always told them that it was not expected or necessary.
::: shrugs::: It’s the way I was rasied.
Of course the one time I lose my wallet, the asshat ran up about $2,000 in charges (in 1975 dollars no less) :wally
I’d look for a way to return it anonymously, to the rightful owner. No e-mail, no phone calls from home, no license plates visible. If no contact with rightful owner, wipe all my prints, keep the cash and destroy the rest.
I DAMN SURE wouldn’t give it to cops or post office for them to steal the cash.
I’ve been around a few years and in some real situations both sober, drunk, or otherwise, and have never lost a wallet. Dropped one in the river once, but dove in and saved the cash. Lost a lot of important info though.
Any lawyer should be as good at keeping his own stuff as he is at taking others’.
In a casino in Laughlin, NV, I saw a group of drunken college kids walking out of a casino, laughing and joking. One decides to yank the shorts down of another buddy and he was walking out of the casino with his shorts around his ankles. The kid decides to pull his shorts back up and his wallet falls out without him or any of his buddies noticing. I was right behind them, and I bent down to pick up the wallet just before another stranger tried to. I think the other guy was planning on keeping it, because he was pissed off at me and we almost got into a fight over it. With many people around, I decided that I better chase those guys before I lost them. I didn’t have time to look inside, but after about a minute of chasing these guys through the crowd I finally got back to the college drunks and returned the wallet. One of them said thanks and pulled a twenty out and gave it to me. He said that there was $1200 in there!
I went to meet my wife at another casino and told her I was down $300 (and broke) and also the incident that happened 15 minutes earlier. She was playing the 25 cent poker slots, and wanted me to sit next to her and play. I was not in the mood since I was broke, except for the $20 and I wanted to go upstairs to our room and sleep. But she asked me to keep her company and I sat there for awhile. She wasn’t doing too well and she wanted me to play. I took the $20 out of my wallet and got a $10 bill and a roll of quarters. Bitching and moaning the whole time, I put the coins in the slot and I said “I don’t want to play this stupid game, it sucks! I’m losing my ass where ever I go, and I just want to lose my ass in bed :rolleyes: and then we’ll leave tomorrow. This whole place sucks and, and, wow, royal flush! Hmmm…$1000! Hey, let’s go eat!”
I’m a firm believer of what comes around, goes around. It doesn’t matter how much money is in there, just get it back without any sticky finger maneuvers.
I have no idea why but when I read the op it popped into my head that if it was a woman’s name on the cards I’d return it intact but if it was a man’s name I’d take the money and throw it in the mailbox. I feel disturbed and confused by that reaction. Probably, knowing me, I’d overthink the whole thing. Before I even opened the wallet I’d be looking around for someone to give it to. I’d go to the nearest building and look for someone to say “anyone lose a wallet?” to. Then if the buck could not be passed I’d go through all the agnony about what to do next. By the time I found out how much money was in it I would probably already be thinking of it as stolen goods just because I’m walking around with this wallet that isn’t mine. It’s not that I’m a good person, it’s just that little things like this become such a gigantic ordeal in my mind that I know throwing in a moral conundrum about stealing would blow my circuts and cause meltdown. I’d wind up calling this person just to get this cursed wallet out of my life so I could get some peace.
If you don’t mind me throwing a twist on this, samarm…
I think the idea that you can tie this money and wallet back to a specific person makes it easier to do the right thing. If you can put a name and a face to the person who lost it, it probably hits closer to home for you.
Now, what if you found a brown paper bag on the street with $500 (and nothing else) in it?
In the wallet case, I would return it.
Brown paper bag, no way would I turn that over to the police.
I’ve found several wallets/purses over the years and have returned every one intact.
Two examples:
I found a wallet containing about $2000 and various credit cards. Called information and got the guys home phone number. His wife answers and I explain that I have found her husbands wallet. While she is happy with me for offering to return the wallet, she is rather pissed at her husband. Seems he was supposed to be on a business trip about 500 miles in a different direction from where I found the wallet. I’m guessing she had a few things to say to him when he got home.
I found a purse with about $7000 in cash and travelers checks. Called a business number I found in the purse and explained the situation. The person I talked to contacted the lady and told me she would come back the next day to get her purse. When she shows up to get her purse the next day, I have to listen to her bitch for 15 minutes about having to drive 200 miles out of her way to get her purse back. Apparently, it was all my fault. I briefly thought about hitting her over the head and taking the purse back.
The one time I lost my wallet , I got a visit from the police about a week later. Seems that the Miami police had called my hometown(about 1,500 miles from Miami) cops because my wallet and I.D. turned up at the scene of a armed robbery of a convenience store. It took me about 15 minutes to prove I couldn’t have been in Florida that day.
I guess karma doesn’t always work.
I would return it immediately. If I found a wallet with credit cards but no address or phone number information, I’d at least try to Google the person.
Then I would spend a couple of days being REALLY PISSED about the fact that, because I am a nice, ethical person, I just lost $500. Things like that are reminders of just how many ways ethical people can lose out, and I hate that. I mean, I wouldn’t WANT to keep it, but it just seems wrong somehow that the desire to help out other people makes me lose money.
If I found one with no identifying information, just money, I’d take it, but probably put up a note somewhere saying, “If you lost your wallet, I’ll give it back if you can tell me exactly what was in it.”
And if no one called, I would probably feel incredibly guilty and give most of the money to a charity.
… well, some of it, anyway.
“If I found a wallet with credit cards but no address or phone number information, I’d at least try to Google the person.”
I’m sure John Smith would appreciate that. 
Think of it this way, 'babe: you would “lose” nothing; the money was never yours to begin with. 
As to the OP, I would return the wallet intact. No hesitation. In fact, I’d be glad to – if only to see the other person’s relief and happiness. That could be me.
I thought long and hard about this one because I really wanted to be honest, and the truth is… I would return it fully intact, and then probably tell everyone how fantastic a person I am.
… for years to come!!!
Yeah, at first I was like… hello, I’m a college student… I’ve never held $500 in my life!
But you know, realistically, I think I would return it with the cash. I’ve never lost a wallet, but my roommate left hers on the bus recently, and I saw how overjoyed she was at the bus station when the wallet was returned, cash (~$150) and all.
Assuming that the contact details on the business card matched those on the credit cards, I would contact the owner directly to arrange return, actually, no; I’d make an appointment to see the owner and then hand it over - that would be a nice surprise for him/her.
If it was not possible to easily trace the owner, I would hand it to the police and get an inventoried receipt.
Take the money, cut the cards and post the rest (how do I know if the postie wont take the cards?). Then go shopping.
If I’m alone, keep the cash and return the rest.
If I’m with my daughter or wife, return everything.
I’d return everything. How do I know what the money was for? Maybe the money was for their rent, and if they don’t get it they’ll get evicted. Maybe it is for an operation. Basically, taking the money means I am hurting someone simply because I know I won’t get caught. Its like stealing from a cash register when you know nobody is looking.
I once found an envelope with over $4000 cash and a deposit slip inside. At the time I was unemployed and the state was hassling me about back child support. I returned the money to the rightful owners. We became good friends and that friendship was worth a whole lot more than the money. I would not hesitate to return the wallet intact.
I’d return it. I’m not saying I wouldn’t be tempted to keep the money, but I’d return it. It’s the right thing to do.
Sosmething similar actually happened once. I found a guys paycheck and it was signed on the back. The check was for $1400. I called the company (interestingly enough, a law firm) and the guy met me so I could give him back his check. He thanked me and…bought me a cup of coffee.
Next time I keep the cash.
I’d look longingly at the cash, but I’d return it. I’d feel hell of a bad about myself if I took the money. If the business card details matched the credit cards I’d call the person’s office and arrange to return the wallet there in person. I’d quite like a reward, and I’d be hopeful of one, but not expectant.
Now, in mouthbreather’s situation of a brown paper bag full of cash, you bet your sweet peachy ones I’d take that. I’d probably feel a little guilty, and I think I’d toy with the idea of turning it in, but in actual fact I’d be off with the cash.