Potless Hotel Worker Hands In $50,000 He Found

[juvenal]

If you knew there was no comeback, and it had come from a rich man - would you give it in?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/10603417.stm

[twatmangle]

If you knew there was no comeback, and it had come from a rich man - would you give it in?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/10603417.stm

Yes. Probably

[200p]

It is unlikely you could have got away with it anyway.

[Save me from the madness!]

It is unlikely you could have got away with it anyway.

Ha, give the guy a break, he could have kept $400 and claimed it was already gone when he found it. This guy's morals are incredible and I take my hat off to him, a real hard test of character the type of which I think we'd struggle to fully appreciate in our wealthy country.

[ccc]

Ha, give the guy a break, he could have kept $400 and claimed it was already gone when he found it. This guy's morals are incredible and I take my hat off to him, a real hard test of character the type of which I think we'd struggle to fully appreciate in our wealthy country.

On my first day , with my very first fare, driving a taxi in Canada some drunk idiot left his business folder in my cab. Didn't count it but must have had at least a few grand in it, maybe 5 or more. Then, when taking it back to his house at the top of a steep bumpy hill - I almost slid down the bottom into the main road in front of a ****** off truck !!

Still - all is well that ends well.

[juvenal]

On my first day , with my very first fare, driving a taxi in Canada some drunk idiot left his business folder in my cab. Didn't count it but must have had at least a few grand in it, maybe 5 or more.

Did he reward you?

[ccc]

Did he reward you?

I got a thankyou. I don't think these things deserve a reward really. Although the **** could have bought me a pint !!!

[200p]

Ha, give the guy a break, he could have kept $400 and claimed it was already gone when he found it. This guy's morals are incredible and I take my hat off to him, a real hard test of character the type of which I think we'd struggle to fully appreciate in our wealthy country.

Fair dos. Some people are already rich in other ways. Shame the reporter did not say what the hotel worker's house was worth, so we can make judgements

[Guest X-QUORK]

I gave some youths £20 after they bought my wallet home (I'd stupidly left it on the car roof on a trip to the local B&Q). They'd found my address on my driving licence.

Tough call on the $50,000 question. I'd like to think I'd be honest.

[gilf]

In the circumstances in the original story, the yes of course I would give it back.

If I had found it in the street with no reasonable way to trace who the owner was, I'd keep it.

[newbonic]

About 6 months ago I went to a cash machine at a Yorkshire Bank in Rotherham. It was a busy afternoon with queues at all ATMs and lots of people milling about. A harassed looking woman stomped away from the ATM I was queuing at so I stepped forward to use it. And £200 came out! I guess the woman had been made to wait and assumed it was empty? Instinctively I took the money and turned around trying to find the woman, but she was away into the crowd*.

So I took it into the bank and handed it over to a teller, describing the woman and the time of the transaction. I also gave them my name and mobile number.

Six months later, no word of thanks, no acknowledgement from the bank that the dosh found its way to its owner. I must admit to being slightly miffed (irrational I know). I'd still do the same though, and would like to think I'd hand the $50k over to.

*I've since learnt that if I'd stood guard over the ATM for a minute it would have taken the cash back, but I didn't know that at the time.

[Olebrum]

With honesty and morals like that he'd never make it in business.

[JustYield]

In the circumstances in the original story, the yes of course I would give it back.

If I had found it in the street with no reasonable way to trace who the owner was, I'd keep it.

This is an important distinction. If he'd taken it, that would change his whole life, probably for the worse.

In a street windfall situation, there is no guarantee it wouldn't come back to haunt you, if not immediately. In The Sopranos, the Steve Buscemi character Blundetto is gifted a similar amount when some drugs pushers toss a bag out of their car. It didn't end well for Blundetto, as it happens.

I think on balance, I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole and hand it in if possible.

[Bosh]

About 6 months ago I went to a cash machine at a Yorkshire Bank in Rotherham. It was a busy afternoon with queues at all ATMs and lots of people milling about. A harassed looking woman stomped away from the ATM I was queuing at so I stepped forward to use it. And £200 came out! I guess the woman had been made to wait and assumed it was empty? Instinctively I took the money and turned around trying to find the woman, but she was away into the crowd*.

So I took it into the bank and handed it over to a teller, describing the woman and the time of the transaction. I also gave them my name and mobile number.

Six months later, no word of thanks, no acknowledgement from the bank that the dosh found its way to its owner. I must admit to being slightly miffed (irrational I know). I'd still do the same though, and would like to think I'd hand the $50k over to.

*I've since learnt that if I'd stood guard over the ATM for a minute it would have taken the cash back, but I didn't know that at the time.

Same thing happened to me a few years ago. Walking passed the hole in the wall and noticed a wad of money sticking out. My instant reaction was to take it and I did and walked back to work. I felt guilty and after checking how much ( £100).. I decided to trot back to the bank.

Outside was a chap pacing up and down near the atm.. I asked him if he was ok and he said he had just withdrawn £100 but may have dropped it. I gave him his money back and refused his attempt to give me a £20 reward.

Made me feel good......

£50,000... Forget it mate.. If as mentioned there was no way for any comebacks, then that money would be mine and the excitement would far outweigh the guilt.. Maybe donate £50 to the local hospital and job done.

[JustYield]

£50,000... Forget it mate.. If as mentioned there was no way for any comebacks, then that money would be mine and the excitement would far outweigh the guilt.. Maybe donate £50 to the local hospital and job done.

So how do you know there won't be any come backs in the short time you have to make the decision?

[Bosh]

So how do you know there won't be any come backs in the short time you have to make the decision?

The OP`s original question

If you knew there was no comeback, and it had come from a rich man - would you give it in?

In reality it would very much depend on who the money belonged to. If it was a wealthy drug dealer and in this fantasy world of no comebacks then why not. If found in a Marks and Spencer Carrier bag in used notes on the street then I would probably not look to find the owner and presume it was dirty money anyway.

I`m not going to try and list every scenario but I am happy to say that in some cases I would keep it and others hand it back..

Back on the fence

[juvenal]

In The Sopranos, the Steve Buscemi character Blundetto is gifted a similar amount when some drugs pushers toss a bag out of their car. It didn't end well for Blundetto, as it happens.

In movies and tv, any big windfall* (if kept) is invariably found to belong to The Mob, who will send terrifying goons after you to violently reclaim it.

*Applies only to sums over $20

[Wario]

In movies and tv, any big windfall* (if kept) is invariably found to belong to The Mob, who will send terrifying goons after you to violently reclaim it.

*Applies only to sums over $20

Which is kind of the point here.

The hotel skivvy is not so green as he's cabbage-looking.

Would any prudent person not instantly recognise that any "legitimate business man" who wanders off leaving fifty big ones in cash lying about is almost certainly able to reach the parts that due legal process just can't reach?

And could quite quickly figure out where it's likely to have gone?

"OK Lucky, where'd ya sleep last night?"

"In the Roachabad Hotel, boss."

"So who the ****** has pass keys to da room? Find out if anybody's called in sick in the last 24 hrs."

"No problem boss, I'll get some of the guys to round up all their kids and wives. They're going for a drive."

[The Generation Game]

I personally believe that, without honesty, a person is nothing.

I would not take the £50k, and would have handed the money in.

I do know of a hotel worker from Spain who, along with her Chilean husband, ran up around £50k of unsecured debt and then emigrated. They hadn't frittered the money away, merely used it to buy a house in Chile.

The banks and, by proxy, the taxpayers in this country are mugs.

[gilf]

I personally believe that, without honesty, a person is nothing.

I had a situation where I was about to get on the tube, a guy taps me on the shoulder and asks if I had lost anything. I said no because as far as I knew I hadn't and at the time it seemed a rather odd question.

Realised a little later that I had a £5 note in my back pocket and it must have fallen out when I got my train pass out. He had clearly seen it fall out and worded his question in the broadest mode possible so that he could get away with it.

I know he must have seen it as there were plenty of other people there, it was a busy tube station at rush hour, yet he didn't ask anybody else.

[Bosh]

I had a situation where I was about to get on the tube, a guy taps me on the shoulder and asks if I had lost anything. I said no because as far as I knew I hadn't and at the time it seemed a rather odd question.

Realised a little later that I had a £5 note in my back pocket and it must have fallen out when I got my train pass out. He had clearly seen it fall out and worded his question in the broadest mode possible so that he could get away with it.

I know he must have seen it as there were plenty of other people there, it was a busy tube station at rush hour, yet he didn't ask anybody else.

How annoying !! I would rather just lose £5 and not know how I did it. It`s not the amount is the shitty way he did it that sticks in your mind.

[Dubai]

To put it in context, he found about 25 years salary, tax free. Now multiply your gross salary by 25 and ask the question again.... what a top bloke.

[gilf]

How annoying !! I would rather just lose £5 and not know how I did it. It`s not the amount is the shitty way he did it that sticks in your mind.

Exactly, I can't remember the exact words now, but I distinctly remember the tone and phrasing at the time and after the event it was clear what he had done.

As you say it was £5 not an important sum just the manner in which he conducted his theft, which is in reality what it was.

To put it in context, he found about 25 years salary, tax free. Now multiply your gross salary by 25 and ask the question again.... what a top bloke.

I would have said it was the inverse, the greater the value, either in real or relative terms, the more likely you would be to hand it in. On two fronts, somebody is more likely to miss it and people are more likely to notice you sending it.

Not suggesting he shouldn't be praised, just that he didn't have much of a choice. Had he not been honest the chain of events would have been, somebody comes looking for the money, he gets identified as a likely suspect, gets investigated and ultimately goes to prison.