What Would You Do ? PLEASE BE HONEST
By Grandmaof2
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
Canada
March 2, 2007 10:29pm CST
It's Saturday and the bank is closed, you go inside the first door, you walk up to the ATM machine, you want cash for the weekend and find that the person ahead of you carelessly left 200.00 at the machine. What Would You Do ? If You Can't Be Honest Please Don't Answer My Post. Thank You I appreciate That.
17 people like this
20 responses
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
3 Mar 07
Yes shooie I can imagine. I am unable to work and we got our call for when an opening came up for my husband to go to the city for his surgery. We did't have enough money to go so my brother in law gave me his debt card and told me to take what I needed. My husband and I had some money so I took what I could and I also took some from my brother in law. We live in a small town and everyone knows everyone here. I'm so upset with surgery I was scared upset and I carelessly left 200 dollars behind. My husband had quadrupple bypass and I needed the money desperately and the money was never returned. I even posted a request in the paper. The bank knows who got the money because of serveilance cameras but they said they didn't want to approach him because he may pull out his account and it would be a loss to the credit union. Please show this to your husband because it has been a real hard lesson for us and we're still trying to get caught up as times for us is real hard. As for you shooie Thank You Hun for being honest it will reward you one day.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
23 Mar 07
I would leave that credit union. They deserve to lose many accounts. Write to the newspaper, urging people to leave that credit union, they deserve it.
3 people like this
@mfpsassy (2827)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Oh my I am so sorry, boy that makes me think twice even if I found the money on the ground.
Now write to the editor of the newspaper and tell them what happened and tell them what the bank said, call your local major news and radio stations and tell them too. Do not let the bank get away with that. That is bull****
3 people like this
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Since I don't know the person's address I would take note of where the ATM was located. Then I would turn the money over to the police with my contact information. If it is not returned withing so much time they give the money back to me. Therefore I think it would be the best thing to do because if someone did that then he or she is going to call places. I just don't think I could spend it. Have a nice day.
Pablo
3 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
3 Mar 07
Thanks for being an honest person. Would you please read number 3 response. I would also like to suggest the best thing to do is take the money of course but Please take it back to the bank because they have camera and they also know by the paper trail who was last there.
5 people like this
@ljcapps (1925)
• United States
22 Mar 07
If it was left in the atm? i would return it to the bank. I mean there's no way for me to know who it came from, but the bank could check out whoever used the atm before me. in a situation like that, where you can find the person who's money it was? definitely give it back. Heck, we were filling up at the gas station the other day and a dollar fell out of a guys pocket, my wife got out of the car, went over and picked it up and took it to the guy. you just never know. A dollar could've meant nothing to the guy, or it may have been a lot of money. 200.00 and a way to give it back? definitely. what goes around, comes around.
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
23 Mar 07
Thank You My dear and you're right. That's what I believe too. This really did hit at a hard time believe me !!! I appreciate your comments and Thank You for being honest...
2 people like this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
23 Mar 07
That is a lot of money, I would contact the bank on Monday, telling them what happened.
I would give them the money and they should be able to track down the rightful owner. $200 to many people is the difference between eating one month and not.
2 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
23 Mar 07
Thank You for #1 being honest and #2 being able to understand. This did hit us hard...
2 people like this
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
23 Mar 07
Sorry, I have to be honest.........I would go to the bank and ask them to review the ATM surveillance tape for the person who used the machine before me. I would not just want to give the money to anyone in the bank. I would want to make sure that the right person got their money back. They would have to know that the person took out the $200 so that they could return the money to the right person. I know a bit about ATM machines and I would want to know the right person had their hard earned money back...
1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
23 Mar 07
This would not have been a problem in my case. I actually ran an add in the town paper saying that I was at fault for leaving the money and I realize you didn't steel it but could you please take the money to the bank because we were left in a real bad situation and we need the money desperately. I guess there's just some people who need a lesson in life. I don't know ???
2 people like this
@PurpleTeddyBear (6685)
• Canada
22 Mar 07
Honestly if I went to an atm and their was 200 dollars there, but none around I would take it! BUT I would then take it back to the bank on Monday! I would explain to the teller that I found it on the counter or in the machine wherever it happened to be and that if anyone came in saying that had happened then thats who it would have belonged to.
I am a very honest person ... the other day I went to Walmart and my total came to $20.75 and the lady gave me back $39.25 from a $50.I told her right away and she thanked me for not taking the extra $10.
2 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
23 Mar 07
Bless your heart. You'll be paid back one day for being honest. I wished it was you who found my money ! That 10.00 may have made a big difference to that clerk, you just don't know. Everyone has a story to tell. Thank You for being You...
3 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
22 Mar 07
I would definitely hand the money in to the bank at the earliset opportunity. the main criterion when finding cash of any amount is whether the true owner is traceable. Therefore a £20 note found in the street would go into my pocket, but a £20 note found at work would be handed in to await for someone reporting the loss. A bank machine is a very traceable source because they simply need to check the records to find out who used it before me.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (161006)
• United States
15 Apr 07
I have read through this whole discussion so far, and I think I would send a little tip to the bank auditors, or the bank examiners. THere is no excuse for that. I know that with the worries about your husband's health, you may not have the energy to take on that battle. I wish I was there ride to the rescue, I have been in a similar situation myself, and it is devastating. Like other people have said the bank deserves some bad publicity over this affair.
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
23 Mar 07
Yes you're right and the bank knows who got the money but the new bank manager slipped up by telling me the person has a large account there and the bank didn't want to loose him. We are SO NOT impressed. Once our house is all paid off we have no intention to ever deal at the Credit Union again.
4 people like this
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
22 Mar 07
Interesting question. I know this sounds heartless but you want honesty, I would take it, unless I saw the person ahead of me was an old lady for example I would run after them but if there was no way of knowing who's money it was and I didn't see the person ahead of me then I would keep it. Because I know full well that if I had left the money and someone else had found it they would keep it. Cynical I know but that truly is my honest answer.
1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
23 Mar 07
Thank You for being honest. If you could live feeling good about yourself then I guess that's the person you are. I do genuinely thank you for your comment because you said that is your honest answer and for that Thanks. The loss of this money however has been a huge burden to us. Please remember also if this ever does happen to you the bank employees will know who cashed in. They really can't do anything about it I guess because you didn't steel it.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
19 Apr 07
I would collect the money and when the bank opened on the next business day, call them to let them know that you found $200 that the previous transaction left. They will be able to locate the person by the transaction and get the money back to its owner. I couldn't imagine doing such a thing myself, but would be lost if it truly happened.
@wmg2006 (5381)
• United States
22 Mar 07
I would turn into the bank, because I know they would be able to see who was there before me. If i found it randomly on the ground or something and no way to see who it belonged to I would take it and save it for one week. I would check the papers to see if anyone lost it. I am so sorry to hear this happened to you, the bank should be made to make the other person give you the money. Since the bank already told you they had surveilance and could identify the thief you have every right to go to the police and they can get the money back. They will make the bank produce the camera and they will do the rest. I would have reported it as stolen money the day it happened. If the police got involved then the bank would not have to worry about the customer withdrawing their account. I am surprised the bank people didn't mention this to you since they were afraid of losing the customers business. I would still file that report!
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
23 Mar 07
This was June 18, I wish I had thought of this sooner, not a bad idea actually. Thank You for being one of the honest people. I know I would have got it back if you found it at the ATM machine !!!
3 people like this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
23 Mar 07
If the man is still around when I find the money, I'll call him up and give him his money. If I cannot see him around anymore, I will be obliged to take it. Surely, the next one after me will take it and might claim it for his own. I will proceed with my withdrawal then, wait awhile for the man to return. He might find out within a few minutes that he has left his money and will come back for it. Honestly, if the man does not return for his money, I'd be lost on what else to do. I will never desire to have hand on any money that isn't mine.
1 person likes this
@mfpsassy (2827)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Thank goodness both of my banks are open on Saturday. Helps keep me honest, besides most banks have a camera in there ATM's so they would still have my picture. I don't find that worth the risk. Now if I found it on the ground I'd probably keep it.
1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
3 Mar 07
Please read number 3 for my story and thank you for being honest.
4 people like this
@easy888 (10405)
• Australia
18 Mar 07
If it was on the street , i would definitely pick it up. But because it was at the ATM machine inside the bank, most probably there would be surveillance cameras there, i could not get the money if the person who left the money told the bank about this and checked the tape. Because of this reason, I thought I would not pick it up becausae the money would not be mine anyway, and I would pretend that I did not see the money and use another ATM machines if there are any..
1 person likes this
@TCDIXON (6)
• United States
18 Mar 07
If the person is just leaving out of the bank I would run to give them back their money,but if no one was there I would keep it and say a prayer for them.It may sound crazy but I don't think I would take it back to the bank.If the money left were in the thousands I would,they do have cameras at the atm's and would not want to get set up ,I wouldn't be able to pay back thousands as opposed to a couple of hundred dollars.
1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
23 Mar 07
That's your opinion and I respect that, at least you're honest which means a lot, but if you read number 3 you will hear my story. With my husband needing heart surgery and as hard up financially as we were it really hurt us. Finders Keepers sometimes hurts and we needed the money more than a prayer at that time. Like I said Thank You for your honesty but I hope you will change your mind some day.
3 people like this
@weemam (13372)
•
17 Apr 07
I am being really honest and say I would hand it in , I always look for bargains and I try to save wherever possible , I have Ben sitting with nothing when my boys were little waiting for my hubby's wages . I would worry that the person who had left it would be really desperate for it , If I found 1 note on the street I would keep that as My grandchildren have handed single notes into the police and they have never been claimed and they got them back after 3 months , 1 single note you don't expect to get but 2oo of them , yes I would have handed them in , I am so so sorry that you had to suffer through someones greed xx
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
15 Apr 07
Honestly-- I would take it with me-- I would make a withdrawl also-- Then on Monday when the bank opened back up, I would go in and ask the bankers (probably the manager) if they could track to see who made a withdrawl prior to mine on saturday- I'm sure they can track this- I would explain why. I would take the money to the police station and turn it in as lost- Not that I would not trust the bank but you never know-- Hopefully between the police and the bank manager they would find the person who made the withdrawl prior to mine and that person would come and claim their money! $200 is alot-- It could be someones rent money- or grocery money- I would love to see the persons face when they went and claimed it too- I would not take any reward! I would just hope that someone would do the same if it was me- Then again I always count my money at the ATM- so I would never leave $200!
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
15 Apr 07
Tempting, isn't it?
If the person is still walking to their car... I would call out to them, wave my arms, try to get their attention before they walked away.
And if that was not the case, I would put the money in an envelope and turn it in on monday morning.
Not just because it is the right thing to do, but you could get arrested otherwise. ALL ATM machines have video cameras attached to them, and if the owner of the money took it up with the bank, they could find out who you are and get the money back from you. It's too bad that you can't trust people to do the right thing, so you have to havesurveillance cameras everywhere.
@liranlgo (5752)
• Israel
15 Apr 07
I would do everything that i can, to give him back his money. even if i do not have the address of that person, and he already has driven away, it is logical, that he would find out soon, that his money was missing. i know that it sounds a bit strange. but i would just stay there for an half an hour, and if i see that he did not come back, i would take the risk, and leave a note with my cell phone on it. when he calls, he would have to identify with what he wore or something, and i would know that this is the right person. because i did see him. 200$ is a lot of money, and there is no way that i would not do everything in order to give him back this amount.
@4cuteboys (4099)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Unless I was seriously broke, I would wait until Monday and turn it into the bank, hopefully they could go thru the videos from the weekends use at that ATM and figure out who left it (i have no idea how, but there must be a way!) If the person left a reciept I would make sure to grab that too so they could figure out who it was. I know my husband would probably keep it, but who knows, maybe he would suprise me. If I was homeless and living on the street or what not, I would keep it, even though that's wrong and not nice.