I found $150 on exiting the toilets, and handed it to the receptionist. She sent out an email to the whole office, and the owner was found.
From where I come from, if you lose something, and someone else finds it, and returns it, you owe him 10% of the value.
Well, this guy did not even thank me.
Although I know it's illegal and partly immoral, next time I find money in the office, I'm even more tempted to keep it.
You should've given it to the staff, just because you assume they would keep it does not mean they will. If someone came back they would've been out of pocket and probably thought the staff had kept it.
Hand it in to the cops, after 90days? not collected its yours, all nice a feel good factor
As long its not a briefcase, shrink wrapped…, bundles of cash then you have to go to the police.
All comes from your upbringing, ethics, thinking and the LAW.
do the right thing! lmao russell peters….
Once found a briefcase and handed it into the cops. Didn't have any shrink wrapped money, just a book on C and a pirate floppy of a program. Wondered if the owner ever went to the cops to get it back.
floppy? lol 5.25 or 3.5" those were the high capacity portable storage days
Can't remember exactly, but the name of the program was hand written on the label. I am REALLY old, the first time I had anything to do with a computer was playing a text based adverture program on a mainframe at Deakin University in 6th form. When I met my other half at Uni he had a kit built PC computer with tape based downloads. Now there was an unreliable method of loading a program into a PC. I also programmed with Mark Sense cards. By the time you got the program right the graphite had rubbed off and the machines kept breaking down because they were full of bits of rubber from where people had corrected the cards. - You try and tell that to the young people of today and they won't believe you, they won't.
I have to google Mark Sense cards to understand how old we are really talking about here lolz
@luffyex2010: I was in the Halls of Residence at Monash. It was my birthday and I found that someone had stuck a bunch of cards in a row down my door. When I ran it through the machine somebody had left me a program that printed out "Happy Birthday" for me; the Geek is strong with the group I used to hang out with.
Sorry I have to take back my opinion -_- due to our really ancient laws
‘Under the Theft Act 1968, a person is guilty of theft if they “dishonestly appropriate property [including cash] belonging to another”. ‘Lost property will continue to “belong to another”, unless it has genuinely been abandoned by the owner.
The fact that cash has been dropped in the street does not necessarily mean it has been abandoned.’ However, in the end it’s down to whether you could reasonably believe the owner of the cash was untraceable, or you had already taken reasonable steps to find them – such as by going to the police.
Oh boy…. its really complicated isn't it, they should put an amount range to make it straight forward…e.g. <$100 take home >$100 report to police
ok the finders fees make sense now for the effort of returning the money
Oh boy…. its really complicated isn't it, they should put an amount range to make it straight forward…e.g. <$100 take home >$100 report to police
Inflation would make that really difficult, imagine what $100 would have bought you back in 1968 when those laws were written.
Would you also find it reasonable if you were dining locally but served by say, an American waitress / waiter, and they demanded a tip because it's customary in their home country?
True, you will follow the custom of the country that you are in and I have been keeping all those coins I found on the streets anyway lol
really ancient laws
…
1968
Shit, wait til you hear about these guys in Africa that built these huge triangle things!
I've handed in a lot of things I've found, hoping they make it back to the owner. I usually take it to the most logical place. The front desk, if it is in a store; the information desk, if it is in a shopping centre and the cops if it is in the street. If it is a small amount of money I usually donate it to a charity box (more a gesture to Karma).
From where I used come from (Asia), you don't return items you find. From where I now come from (Australia), I return items I find and I don't expect anything in return.
I assume that's not Japan and South Korea for sure.
When we were living in France we found an iPhone in the street and took it to the police. A few days later the guy who lost it came by our apartment and gave us a bottle of wine to say thanks. I'd never expect to get a reward for doing the right thing though.
So you did the right thing and expected to be rewarded hahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
that's lots of continuous ha s' you got there, are you one of the squid alien from Space Quest.
Alan Rickman….an awesome actor, by grabthar's hammer you shall be remembered forever.
"Good by my friends"
Yeah I've handed in found wallets a few times and usually they are so appreciative that they have handed over a reward, but I never expected them to.
Its more likely the finders fee law was in place to give incentive to do the RIGHT thing. If it was about compensation for effort then a fixed percent makes no sense because the effort doesnt vary depending on quantity of cash.
Its sad that you (OP) expects this because its law where you come from. Im guessing the law exists for people like you who is now "tempted to keep it" next time. <sarcasm> Must have been a huge effort for you handing money into reception at the same building you work in. </sarcasm>
Next time you could stay silent and don’t post it on a public forum so that you don’t get negged by strangers.
Where I come from we don't stand around at reception and chat to friends on company time.
We do however browse ozbargain on company time
…. why did you post this? “Hey everyone, I don’t help people unless there is something in it for me!”
Where I come from, this is called selfish greed.
She sent out an email to the whole office, and the owner was found
Are you sure it was the real owner? Could just be some guy looking to make a quick $150 not $135.
I've returned a few things to people over the years and never got anything more than a thanks and I think I would do the same, roles reversed.
A drink would've been nice but not necessary. You should not expect people to reward you for doing the right thing.
Dude, you're not a child, you're a working adult. If I dropped money and a child ran up to me to give it back, I'll give them something of course. But if I found something at the office and handed it to receptionist, I wouldn't expect a reward. In fact, it would probably be more awkward if anything if someone tried to give me something.
If it was someone in our immediate team and they wanted to buy a beer at lunch, sure. But otherwise I would politely decline. It's the office. It's not like you found it on the street and went through an extraordinary amount of effort to track down owner against all odds.
He may have been living paycheck to paycheck. Many professionals are doing it tough these days.
Write this down:
"No good deed goes unpunished"
C'mon guys. OP is a very reasonable person.
10% is the expected cashback these days.
Tell that to Cashrewards
subtweet gold
How long ago did this occur? Maybe the person was going to buy you a box of chocolates, thank you card or something?
Swiss chocolate?
I think that you were definitely owed a thank you, however as many others have said, in Aus we don't always give a finders fee. Lots of people are happy to do so, and do it as they're thankful, however others are either a) rude, b) not thinking about it, or c) can't afford to.
In this situation the guy just seems like a rude ahole, but I don't think it's right to expect a finders fee. After all, that money could have been going towards something really important such as medication, or new car tires, or other similar things.
As it was at an office I would guess the guy who lost it probably has a good income, but you never know the financial state of people around you.
Still deserve a thank you though.
Assimilate or F off!!!!
Wait, wrong thread. Carry on.
Keep us updated OP. If the owner doesn't even thank you, kill his pet(s).
TL:DR I'm greedy.
Meanwhile a similar case in North Korea…..
Kim Jong Un: " you dare to steal/touch my wallet!."
"Death Squad!" make sure you aim at least a hundred bullets at the hand that touch my wallet.
Phew we are fortunate to live in Australia.
I'd be miffed at the lack of a thankyou too. Finders fee sounds like a cultural difference. And refreshingly (and curiously), no 'if you don't like it, leave' commentary!
lol Finders Fee, really??
You're doing your duty as a good citizen. Your sense of pride for doing the right thing should be all the reward you need. You aren't entitled to a finder's fee, but if you keep it, you are guilty of "theft by finding" (I can't remember the exact term). There is a threshold that is considered ok to keep, but I don't know what that threshold is.
As a courtesy I think the person it belonged to should at least send you a thank you card for your trouble and honesty.
I don't mean to treat you as a child, but if you lost something of value and you expect someone to hand it in for you, then you have to at least be prepared to do the same if you were the finder. If not, you don't have a right to be pissed off if someone kept your stuff. You won't always get your stuff back. I sure haven't. But you gotta stick to your principles.
The same applies if you saw someone injured. You attend to them and help them as best you can. Because if you are one day the injured party you wouldn't deserve to be helped if you're not the kind who helps others in need without getting anything in return. It's part of the golden rule. It's a rule I've lived by since I became an adult.
If I kept a wad of cash I found, I'd feel very guilty even if no one ever found out. I don't like feeling guilty, so even if it's something I know I can get away with, I won't do it.
in my country, we punch people right in the face as a way of saying hi. i went for a job interview and said "hi". i didnt get the job! why doesnt australia do things like they did in my country! in fact, i want australia to be exactly like my country, just like if i never left. hang on, why did i leave? ah thats right, to go to a better country.
"Finders Fee"
WTF. Keep the money if you're expecting to get something in return.
Just wanted to clarify, is this your workplace? In my workplace, if someone found something, they will hand it to the office, the office will send an email to all staff, when the owner is found, the office will send a second email saying the owner has claimed the item. No names were mentioned in the emails. If you find something in the toilet of your workplace, if you take it. I would consider it as theft. If you are talking about finding things in the public toilet, it could be a different matter.
Just wanted to defend to OP here. People are very quick to judge others from different cultures.
I Australia we have a habit of doing 'favours' for mates. Quid pro quo. What goes around comes around etc. This is however not universal.
In the states I found that money should be exchanged or given where appropriate. E.g if someone os driving they get gas money - even if they are a grown adult. In Australia it would just be 'swings and roundabouts… I'll drive next time.' Do that in the States (at least where I went) and they will think you are an arsehole.
So yeah… Give the guy a break. Different cultures, different expectations.
Nope as many others have pointed out, this isn't a learning experience.
Its a negative attitude, its a they don't do it like where I came from, so I'm gonna be selfish and not hand it in next time, even though he know its wrong.
Its a fk you all post, not a query about customs
Wow nowadays there's such a thing as "finders fee"? How about just eff off with your new age BS. If somebody wants to reward whoever then let them do it without garbage made up new age teenybopper net 'rules' or whatever. What are we going to introduce tipping next?
My wife found Iphone on the street. She couldn't ring anyone because the phone was locked. When she brought phone home, I saw couple of missed calls and rang them. I was eventually able to drop off mobile at owner's place within 1 hour. They tried their best to give me $50 but I didn't take it.
If you do good deed in hope of good return then I will say don't do it.
Maybe they thought $150 was no big deal so losing or getting it back was also nbd.
How about the satisfaction of knowing you did a good deed? Why were you compelled to share it with everybody?
It's like those people on social media who donate some money to a homeless person and have to tell the world about it - narcissism at its finest.
100%!
Switzerland: Reward + compensation. For example, if you post a lost license back to the owner they must compensate for postage costs + provide a reward. Apparently (as you mention) rule of thumb is 10%, in this case that could be 10% of the cost of a replacement license.
Australia: Lost goods still belong to rightful owner. You must make an attempt to find rightful owner. If uncollected the goods are yours after x amount of time.
Switzerland: When you hand something in, it's seen as if you've done something for the person and they owe you and should thank you.
Australia: When you find lost property, it's expected that you will be honest and hand it in for collection (as you did). You could be an (profanity) and pocket it (though unlawful), but that's up to you. Those who pocket lost goods are seen as dishonest and untrustworthy. The Australian belief is typically they earnt the money/goods, it belongs to them - it should be returned to them.
Note in some parts of Australia there's also a belief that if you find a wallet, you're free to take the cash out of it if you return the rest (ie cards/licenses/etc). This isn't legal, though isn't overly uncommon. I'm against this, but it does happen.
Example: If someone lost their Waller with $200 cash in it at a bar, they wouldn't be too surprised if it was returned with $100 in it. The guy who took the $100 is a bit of an ass, but at least didn't steal his cards/etc.
Just a side note, you have a really negative attitude towards Australian customs and beliefs. That won't get you far here. If you're an ass who's going around pocketing lost cash you will eventually be found out and it is something you will be shamed for. It'll effect your reputation and possibly employability. Nothing against you, just letting you know.
Would be the same if I went to Switzerland and lost something - I wouldn't expect them to waive the right to a reward simply because it's not how we do things in Australia. Over there if you find lost property, you're entitled to a reward. I'd happily pay a fair reward if I lost anything there.
This happens to me re: lost wallet. Upon its return, it was sans cash. The finder decided that taking the entire contents of cash was their finders fee. I guess I was greatful that they didn’t decide that my tap to pay cards were also free game.
Stupidly though, he was a regular customer of the shop that I dropped it in front of and they gave me enough of his details that I needed to find out he was a customer of ours as well. Swings and roundabouts, his next job ended up costing him an extra amount to recover my lost cash + an arsehole tax on top of it.
This is perfect karma. Nice work.
From all answers I've read, I thought in Australia everything would be returned with everything in it, and no reward expected.
I don't understand how the cash was taken. Maybe a non Australian has found it, and his custom is, that the cash is to take out, before the wallet is returned.
Being a thief is not a cultural thing. It’s not something I would consider as normal or Australian or not. If he had have given it back with the money intact, I would certainly have bought him a slab of beer or given some form of thank you. But taking it himself, regardless of culture, makes them a thief.
Another time, my wallet was lost at the school I work at and was found and returned at me personally at my home. The schools caretaker drove a long way out of his way to give it back to me, money and cards intact. I offered a reward, but he refused, saying that he would hope I would do the same for him, and I most certainly would. This is how I expect our Australian culture to work, as most comments above have proven.
I have also been the finder of many a wallet/phone and I have always returned them in the same way as I found them and have never exprected any reward. I have often refused any offers of a reward as I feel the times I have had my wallet returned, I am just paying it forward.
Getting all butt hurt over not getting your 10% is just conceited. You don’t know that persons state of mind. You don’t know their situation. You don’t know their economic circumstances. You can’t go to another country and impose your own cultural beliefs or get offended/upset when people don’t know of what your culturally accepted response should have been. We are not Switzerland, so your laws/beliefs don’t apply here…
Although I know it's illegal and partly immoral, next time I find money in the office, I'm even more tempted to keep it.
And you let one experience with one ungreatful person get you all jaded if it ever happens again. So, because of this once off experience, you think it’s ok to become a thief. Glad you don’t work in my company.
I had a mate go to the police about his phone being stolen from the counter where he worked but they were pretty much like nah can't do anything about it, you left the phone there so it's your fault. He had findmyphone and everything on so knew the address of the thieves but police gave no fks
If police give a (profanity) or not is a different story to the actual law sadly.
I bet if your mates girlfriend/wife/sister went in they'd be more happy to help lol
Lol " 10% finder's fee "
10/10 troll.
My principal is they owe me a blood debt. I will call upon it at the next Kurultai. Refusal will end in the annihilation of their line and name, and I will burn every gur in their village and salt the scorched Earth as a reminder to all who dare challenge the bonds of their debt.
Finders fee? We call it a reward don't we? In this case it's non compulsory. Shame he can't buy manners with it to thank you thou.
They have Swissbargain calling Aussies twats just saying thanks when someone return their wallets?
Holy shit, note to self, don't expect people from Switzerland to do the right thing unless you've got the cash on you to pay them for it.
Its pretty simple;
DONT STEAL.
Dont expect, demand, or insist on a reward for not stealing.
Payment is in Karma and payment should never be the reason behind doing a good deed and doing what is right. If the only reason you do something good is for rewards, then YOU ARE A HORRIBLE PERSON
Yeah you should have at least get a thanks, but next time you know to take 10% of the money first J/K. Obviously most people wouldnt know about the finders fee so just secretly drop the info on his desk. Also how did they prove the cash was that persons, think the receptionist kept it, thats why you got no thanks
I've been to Switzerland many times, and the people there are utterly charming and helpful. I certainly never encountered the attitude that the OP has.
Its peculiar, when the Swiss have a really nose attitude towards assimilation.. ala extremely difficult to become a citizen
I don't know what a "nose attitude" is, so I can't comment further.
It's too bad that he didn't even thank you, I understand your frustration with that.
What I don't understand is expecting something in return for doing the right thing.
I would hand the money back because a) I'm a nice person and b) it's the right thing to do
There really shouldn't be anything more to it than that.
some people are forgetful, others are embarassed
You handed it back because you want to do the right thing so just leave it at that. Just because the other person didn't thank you doesn't meant you shouldn't do the right thing and perhaps should have kept the money to yourself.
Maybe its this sorrt of attitude of demanding a finders fee, is part of the reason you left Switzerland. Australia may be different, but 99% of the world wants too or would feeled honoured to come here… and yet you dont think thats good enough. THis is part of teh Australian way, its part of everything that makes Australia the greatest place to live on earth.
A simple thank you would have been over and done with
A sincere thank you would have been enough. The lack of it, triggered the question about finders fee.
Plot twist, the person OP gave the money back to, in their culture it is considered impolite to give money to people for returning your stuff as it’s seen as insulting to reward good deeds…
many have a different opinion on Karma it works for me and i think it is more Aussie than a lot of people believe in basic format.
you do the right thing and it comes back but that's just an opinion of mine and i consider that Australian.
i dont expect anyone else to live by it its a personal choice. I have lost things and had them returned, on many occasions i have had the offer of a financial thank you rejected, in most instances people can be swayed and thats not because they are bad.
i remember when my children were very young i found a purse and thought it would be good for the kids to learn a life lesson, so we returned it complete with cash, the man on the other side of the door opened the door grabbed the purse and shut the door with out a word, its still a life lesson just wasn't the one i intended.
and of course there are bad people hiding behind the Karma sales pitch as there are in all walks of life.
some people believe in the building on the top of the hill that houses the man in the white collar that hides the pedophiles regularly, its not my thing but if you are in to it, that's your children's bad luck.
as others have stated. you just need to adopt and learn the ways of the country that you live in and in Australia doing the right thing is common, still plenty of a@#holes of course.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you - the golden rule for EVERYTHING we do in life that involves our fellow travellers.
Goes both ways though. If you expect to others to punish you when you behave bad, you are obligated to do the same. If someone took the time to return something to me, and I behaved like an a-hole, I would expect them to take some petty form of revenge, like throwing a brick through a window.
I don't believe in karma at all but i believe in just being a good bloke because everyone is going through sh*t in their lives and could do without more bad luck
I was booking into a hotel once. When I got to the counter I saw that the guy ahead of me had left his wallet behind. The hotel clerk was most impressed when I told him and managed to return the wallet to its owner. I received 2 stubbies for being honest, though I did think that everyone would have done the right thing as I did.
Nope.. No one has ever returned my lost money or wallet but they were kind enough to drop of my license save me time and money to get a new one. I would keep the money and drop of the cards
This. When I lose my wallet, I accept the money as being a write-off, but am very thankful if I get my cards back.
Call the person out with an "all staff" email about not thanking you.
this is the only option, also include transcripts of the Swedish 'finders fee' clause.
Make sure to also bold, highlight and underline that they now owe you 10% of the $150.
Rookie error OP.
Should have taken the money, invested in cryptocurrency markets, then once the owner comes forward, return only the principal investment and keep the cream for yourself.
Funny how crypto dropped quite a bit these few days
OP wont even have any principle to return.
Your reward is twofold:
- the good feeling you get knowing you're not a douche who steals things
- knowing that you're better than the douche who didn't even thank you
Expecting a monetary reward is not part of this culture and would be seen as being greedy.
Noticed !
Good karma = knowing you did the right thing and being happy for it.
Bad karma = keeping the money for yourself, someone finding out, and you lose your job over theft.
Expecting something in return for doing the right thing is what's wrong with the world. There shouldn't be an incentive to do the right thing, other than the fact it's the right thing to do.
It's optional. I've done it sometimes and not done it other times.
If you want a finders fee just take your finders fee.
This is the most Swiss post ive ever seen in my life
From where i come from you would be lucky to get it back.
Jesus (profanity) christ. People seriously expect rewards for doing something nice?
Found a passport at the airport lounge, handed to reception, owner were very happy, no rewards but a thank you was good enough :)
was shopping in david jones once, and somehow randomly spotted a fat wallet left on a table. looked around, no one in the area. went to pick it up and its full of hundred dollar notes, at least $2k worth. i then look around again, thinking im about to get busted by some punked\undercover cop show. nope. i then start going through the wallet for some form of id, nothing, its just cash. i go to the shopping centers information booth and hand it in, however i mention there is no ID what so ever so it will be really difficult to locate the owner, unless there is the off chance to come to this exact information booth. anyway, the lady there said would i like to leave my details in case someone does find it and wants to say thank you, so i do. i think a day or two later i get an sms from a very appreciate man saying thank you very much for handing the wallet in and that he is very grateful there are still good people left in the world
that to me is my "reward" - to make the world a better place, even by a tiny tiny bit. i never wanted, or even thought of getting some kind of compensation. i just did what i hope someone would do if i ever lost something
i know its a cultural thing, however op: if you expected cash compensation for your deeds, sounds like you are not earning enough. invest in yourself and your career so you earn enough on your own not to expect handouts from anyone.
Lost my wallet yesterday at The Star Casino in Sydney and found it half an hour later handed it to security by some lady, I asked security if I could have a name or where she was playing or anything to thank her and buy her a drink or something, but security weren’t allowed to disclose that information. Never heard of the 10% reward but a thank you and a kind gesture I think goes along way
I found 2 x $50 notes at the powerhouse museum over the holiday period. Stood and looked around for anyone that appeared to be missing something for a while, but the room/section I was in basically empty, so they would have been long gone it seems.
Wasn't going to go around asking for randoms if they had dropped cash or hand it into staff and expect they wouldn't keep it themselves.
I guess I could have given it to the police, but was too lazy. Wife suggested if I keep it to donate or give a homeless person at least half of it…I still have the cash as I use card for most purchases…