If you saw someone accidentally drop a $100 bill, would you tell them?
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
November 30, 2007 10:25pm CST
If you were at an ATM machine and saw someone accidentally drop a $100 bill as they walked away, would you point it out, or would you wait until they walked away and then take the money for yourself? Would you feel guilty that you had taken the money or just figure that they should be more careful?
Personally, I would feel very guilty taking the money, especially since I knew that it belonged to an actual person, not just some nameless faceless individual. That person might need the money for rent or medication. And, I would like to think another person would do the same for me.
I would most likely point out that they had dropped their money or take it to them. However, if I came upon a situation, where I saw the money on the ground and there was noone around to claim it, then I might act differently. I cannot say, because it has never happened to me.
What would you do in the same situation?
6 people like this
15 responses
@Ruibinha (157)
• Portugal
1 Dec 07
I would tell. Not only because i wouldn't like if someone keep it, if it happened to me.
Cash is cash, we never know if that person needs more then us.
I already saw cash on the ground, and i kept it, not only because it was a shopping (lots of people) but there are many people that lie saying that they lost money. If i returned it to the help section, the workers would probably keep it.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
1 Dec 07
Hello beauty queen. Just this afternoon when I was out of the gate of a big supermarket, I saw someone's money dropping onto the ground and I immediately called to tell him about this by instinct, though it was not big money. Such cases have happened to me for many times when I saw one's money drop onto the ground and told them about this. So I think that I would always do the same, however big the money is, if I happen to see it fall to the ground. Thanks for your discussion, dear beauty queen. Good day.
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
15 Jun 08
Thank you for the BR as always, my dear beauty queen. Happy posting.
@ratyz5 (7808)
• Philippines
15 Jun 08
If I did see someone drop something that belonged to them, I'd quickly get their attention and tell them of what they dropped. Sometimes, I'd just pick it up and run after them if they've already went a few steps away.
I really don't like losing things out of accidents so I would also like the same gesture or returning things if it happens to me. Like you, I'd only resort on taking it if I really can't find the owner of the lost or dropped item that I would find.
@wondericequeen (7876)
• Hong Kong
14 Jun 08
Yea if I saw who left the money there, I would definitely tell him or her. I do it because I recall the time when I was really broke and that $100 might be all that I have to last for awhile. So, I would definitely tell that person.
@poohgal (6845)
• Singapore
1 Dec 07
My knee jerk reaction would be to tell them that they have dropped their money. I do not enjoy picking up money or other things that do not belong to me. Even if there's no one around, I would most likely not pick up the money. I will just leave it there. It has happened before and that's what I did.
@tazpromote (965)
• United States
1 Dec 07
Yes I would tell them that they dropped it because I would want someone to do the same for me.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
17 Dec 07
If I seen the person do it, I would tell them. I have already, it was not $100 but it was $50.
@smartbrain69 (2790)
• Canada
2 Dec 07
Yes 100% truth that i will inform that person who has drop money.
Samething happend once a old person who have little knowledge about ATM operation was withdrawing amount and after that my turn, when i went inside i saw that person has forget to complete trasaction and machine was asking " do you want more transaction " and his card was inside. I cancelled the trasaction and withdraw the ATM card and run to catch that person and handed over the card to him, he has just gone little further and he was so much happy and he wanted to give me some money as gift but i denied, he asked me to come for tea and gave me his number.
So, it happens many time due to carelessness or due to less knowledge.
@theproperator (2429)
• United States
1 Dec 07
Oh, yeah, I would definitly return the money if I knew who had dropped it. I'm so honest that it is downright painful sometimes! :-) If there was no one around, I would probably even go into the bank and tell them I had found the money if it was that much and leave my phone number, in case someone came in looking for the money later (now, if it was only $10 or $20, I might keep it without saying anything).
I've never found more than $5 on the ground unattended (which I kept), but I have given a wad of cash back that I saw fall out of a woman's pocket in the grocery store once.
@lucky_witch (2707)
• Philippines
1 Dec 07
Well, that happened to me during our field trip. One of the tourist just left his wallet in one of the picnic table. I saw that when it happened. I ran after him and hand him his wallet. I know that if that would happen to me, I would be very glad if someone will return it to me. So what I want others to do... I started doing it.
@3lilangels (4639)
• United States
1 Dec 07
well as nice as this would be to have that extra money i could never keep it though i would feel too guilty about it and i am just too honest to do something like that.i had this happen before where i was in atlantic city and a little old lady was playing a machine next to me and she left her bucket full of quarters and i mean there must of been atleast a few hundred dollars in there,so i chased after her to hand it to her because hey we were all here enjoying ourselfs and what if that was all she had.so when i gave it to her she hugged me and told me how thankful she was and she gave me a certificate for a free dinner for me and my hubby.
@aidenofthetower (1814)
• United States
2 Dec 07
First, I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the number of honest people. I can tell you that if I dropped a hundred it would be very important I get it back and that would inspire me to do the same for others. There are a few people in this world who could drop 100 bucks and never look back, but for most of us that would be a big deal. Some days even a dollar is a big deal and I have chased down people at the store with a dollar of five dollars. It is nice to see them happy or relieved. There was a time I found a fifty in the store parking lot. I turned it in to the manager of the store in case someone called looking for it. I think he probably kept it, but I felt that at least I had done what I could.
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
1 Dec 07
If I actually saw someone drop the bill, as in, they were walking past and dropped it. I'd pick it up and hand it to them. I wouldn't let them continue to walk on by without letting them know and give it back. However, if there was a $100 bill on the ground with no on in sight, I'd pick it up. No point in leaving it there, someone else would end up picking it up anyway. So, I'd definitely pick it up. If I heard someone talking about losing it or looking for it I'd tell them and give it back, but otherwise, it would be mine to keep.
