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found gift card

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Mass_Shyster

Senior Member
Sorry I'm a few days late posting this,

Does this mean that for any and all property found, a "reasonable" charge (greater than $0.00) may be issued to the owner before the return of the property? If so, I can't wait to employ this in my daily routines (I'm surrounded by careless people losing stuff all the time :D).
You can check the caselaw, but I'm pretty sure that's to cover your costs of feeding and caring for the lost 'property'. Those statutes were usually written to cover farm animals.
 


If somebody has the number of the card and reported it lost or stolen, you may get caught and quite possibly end up in jail.

Found money is not your money. It belongs to somebody and that somebody is not you. Turn it in to the bank or the police.

anything else is stealing.
I second this. If it's not claimed, then it should be yours to do as you please. Believe me, $300 is not worth the risk of getting cought.
If the card was reported lost or stolen then the card would be cancelled by the bank. Gift cards are just like cash. Its been over 2 months & the full balance is still available. Finders keepers.
If you try to use it, and it's flagged as stolen- it will come up as such, and you can be arrested.

If you feel the risk is worth a measly $300, please, go right ahead.
Finders-keepers is not a legal theory. You only get to keep property that has been abandoned. You can't keep property that has been lost or mislaid.

California has laws regarding lost property. I suggest you locate them and read them.
so what if you are walking down the street and you see (lets say a $100 bill) and you pick it up and go to a store and spend it. But all this time you are watchced by a cop, youre telling me that he can arreest you? im with finders keepers.
 

KnownOne

Member
so what if you are walking down the street and you see (lets say a $100 bill) and you pick it up and go to a store and spend it. But all this time you are watchced by a cop, youre telling me that he can arreest you? im with finders keepers.
I cannot think of the proper term for this - "baiting" maybe? - but in theory, the cop could arrest you for even picking up pocket change from the street. No way is this legal. Is there a value X such that for for all amounts A {0 < A < X}, you committed a felony?
 
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Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
good old usa
Oh, puhlease...
What makes you think this is specific to the US?

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1036134/search-on-for-suitcase-lined-with-money


ETA: I've never heard the phrase "Theft by Finding" in the US.
 

tower9

Junior Member
If a gift card is reported lost or stolen it is immediately cancelled & a new one is issued with the remaining balance on it. A fee is charged for a new card. I also have never heard of anyone getting arrested for finding cash/coins on the ground. I found 15.00 laying on the floor in a supermarket. I also found a 20.00 bill on the parking lot at walmart. If i found money in a wallet with id i would contact the owner. I also have talked to people who have found money. One guy said he found 1500.00 cash. Another found 300.00 in cash, another found a 400.00 gift card & someone found 700.00 in traveler checks with the receipt & not signed. People do lose money every day. I once lost 40.00 cash. The us (especially ca) is over lawed. No wonder jails are over crowded.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
still trying to justify stealing the money are ya?

It's quite amazing how many people you know that simply "find" money. I've gone over 50 years and don't know 1/4 of the people you do that have found money and by no means, when they have, it is anywhere close to what your friends are "finding".
 
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JustAPal00

Senior Member
You asked the legal ramifications of spending a found gift card and you got them. It is stealing wether you get away with it or not. When I was younger I drove drunk all the time. Now I look back and thank god I never hurt anyone. If I were to use your logic, because i got away with it I committed no crime! America is in the shape it is today because of people like yourself who try to benefit from others misfortunes.
 

tower9

Junior Member
I NEVER used the gift card. It was cancelled awhile ago. I have though found cash before (rarely) & so have other people. I was once at a am/pm & a couple found a 100 dollar bill outside on the ground.They just pumped their gas & drove off. I did once find a credit card at vons & i turned it into the mgr. I have found change in pay phones & newspaper thingys. once yrs back a guy i knew found 25.00 in a sealed envelope at a atm. He said their was no name on the envelope but i didnt believe that. Also a guy i know did a apt cleanout (people abandoned apt) & found 1500.00 under the couch cushions. I found about 50.00 in coins during a cleanout. The owners policy is whatever you find is yours too keep. These are people who were evicted due to drugs, etc. Another guy i know found about 300.00 in change in a car at his work where the owner ( a customer) didnt pay his car repair bill. The shop owner put a lien on the car & the customer didnt contest it & let the shop have the car. His car was old & the bill was quite high (transmission rebuild/approx 2500.00).
 
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