Hypoethetical situation involving lost wallet when the guy who lost it is an asshole

[Dan Druff]

I had a feeling that a number of people here would posture that they would take the "be the better person, help someone even if they just tried to scam you" option.

Same thing happened on the Twitter poll, though to be fair, the Twitter scenario did not contain the more offensive scam scenario (only a similar story to #1).

I don't believe it.

I think it's easy to sit on your high horse behind the screen and posture about what a great guy you are, but if you just were the victim of an attempted scam, there's very little chance you would return the wallet to help the scammer get it back. I believe a lot of you wouldn't take the wallet, but not that you'd return it for the scammer.

A sales person doing there job is scamming?

I get the whole they up sold you behind your back and should probably be fired . Yet taking a wallet that you watched or seen being dropped is wrong.

Yes obviously there should be a curve on the answers yet it is anonymous poll so why would people say return it and not ?

Good questions.

A sales guy aggressively trying to sell is not scamming. That's why in scenario #1 I would not take the wallet or the money. I don't believe salesmen should be insulting or rude when they don't get their way, but at the same time, it's not a terrible offense. It's just annoying to deal with.

However, modifying my cell phone account to charge me more money so they can get a commission is straight up stealing. They're basically stealing from me (hoping I don't catch it) via the cell phone company, who unwittingly gives them a piece of the stolen money. So they deserve more than being fired. They belong in jail.

I wouldn't set out to scam the scammer here, but if the opportunity to take their money landed in my lap, I wouldn't feel bad doing so.

[Sloppy Joe]

I had a feeling that a number of people here would posture that they would take the "be the better person, help someone even if they just tried to scam you" option.

Same thing happened on the Twitter poll, though to be fair, the Twitter scenario did not contain the more offensive scam scenario (only a similar story to #1).

I don't believe it.

I think it's easy to sit on your high horse behind the screen and posture about what a great guy you are, but if you just were the victim of an attempted scam, there's very little chance you would return the wallet to help the scammer get it back. I believe a lot of you wouldn't take the wallet, but not that you'd return it for the scammer.

Have you ever lost a wallet? It fucking sucks knowing that some asshole knows where you live, etc. - not to mention having to go to the DMV, cancel your cards, etc.

Not to mention that stealing is illegal, I cant imagine I would derive joy from doing this to another person.

[Gookieheimowitz]

A sales person doing there job is scamming?

I get the whole they up sold you behind your back and should probably be fired . Yet taking a wallet that you watched or seen being dropped is wrong.

Yes obviously there should be a curve on the answers yet it is anonymous poll so why would people say return it and not ?

Good questions.

A sales guy aggressively trying to sell is not scamming. That's why in scenario #1 I would not take the wallet or the money. I don't believe salesmen should be insulting or rude when they don't get their way, but at the same time, it's not a terrible offense. It's just annoying to deal with.

However, modifying my cell phone account to charge me more money so they can get a commission is straight up stealing. They're basically stealing from me (hoping I don't catch it) via the cell phone company, who unwittingly gives them a piece of the stolen money. So they deserve more than being fired. They belong in jail.

I wouldn't set out to scam the scammer here, but if the opportunity to take their money landed in my lap, I wouldn't feel bad doing so.

Stop making me think . Please . You are killing my buzz. Yet I agree with everything so far.

[Dan Druff]

Let's modify the scenario #2, where instead of finding the wallet, a lawyer runs up to you after you walk out of the store.

The lawyer says, "Hey, I've been following the Yelp reviews and I want to help you. We're going to sue the employee who just did this to you. I'm in contact with several of the victims, all scammed by the same guy who tried to scam you. I'm gong to hit him with a $500,000 lawsuit for this. He's going to receive it, shit his pants, and then we will settle for much less. No chance it will go to trial, trust me. I'll do all the work for free, it will be almost zero effort on your part, and after I take my cut, you'll net about $350. Are you interested?"

Would you say yes?

If so, how is an intimidation lawsuit (meant to cause panic following by settling) any different than just taking the money from his wallet?

[Dan Druff]

I had a feeling that a number of people here would posture that they would take the "be the better person, help someone even if they just tried to scam you" option.

Same thing happened on the Twitter poll, though to be fair, the Twitter scenario did not contain the more offensive scam scenario (only a similar story to #1).

I don't believe it.

I think it's easy to sit on your high horse behind the screen and posture about what a great guy you are, but if you just were the victim of an attempted scam, there's very little chance you would return the wallet to help the scammer get it back. I believe a lot of you wouldn't take the wallet, but not that you'd return it for the scammer.

Have you ever lost a wallet? It fucking sucks knowing that some asshole knows where you live, etc. - not to mention having to go to the DMV, cancel your cards, etc.

Not to mention that stealing is illegal, I cant imagine I would derive joy from doing this to another person.

Haven't lost a wallet, but I've had a few scares where I thought I did, and then I found it was at home or in my car.

During those scares, I always thought what a tremendous pain in the ass it would be.

I would go through considerable effort to return a wallet to a complete stranger who lost it (one I had no bad interaction with), even if it meant taking a lot of time to track the person down, or driving some distance to return it. That's where I have plenty of empathy.

Where I don't have empathy is for an asshole who was a complete dick to me in our only interaction, but at the same time, I wouldn't want to steal from him. I would just pretend I didn't see it, and drive off.

Where I especially don't have empathy is for thieves and scammers, especially ones who victimized me. Not only wouldn't I want to return the wallet, but I would be happy to take part in any kind of legal action against them for what they did.

Fuck people like that. They're ugly pimples on society and deserve the same shit they're doing to others.

[MumblesBadly]

You can't take the wallet . Never take the wallet . You must return it to the store . Why? Because in 2019 there are camera's every where . IDIOTS!


The Hypo does not account for getting caught on camera picking up the wallet .


So my hypo is if you take the wallet and do not return it you go to jail.

Okay, so let's pretend you are 100% certain there is no camera and nobody will see you. Let's not have that factor into the decision.

In Scenario #1, I’d just being the wallet in to the store. But in Scenario#2, I’d be tempted to take some portion of the cash, a round number amount that was no more than 20%, and give it to a homeless person or some charity on behalf of the intended generosity of that salesman, and turn in the wallet with the rest of cash to the store. Chances are the guy would be super glad the wallet and cash (that remained in it) was returned.

[Dan Druff]

Okay, so let's pretend you are 100% certain there is no camera and nobody will see you. Let's not have that factor into the decision.

In Scenario #1, I’d just being the wallet in to the store. But in Scenario#2, I’d be tempted to take some portion of the cash, a round number amount that was no more than 20%, and give it to a homeless person or some charity on behalf of the intended generosity of that salesman, and turn in the wallet with the rest of cash to the store. Chances are the guy would be super glad the wallet and cash (that remained in it) was returned.

Giving the cash to a worthy individual or charity isn't a bad idea. Returning the wallet, though... no.

[sonatine]

if you can afford to return someones wallet and you choose to do anything but that, how is that not an antisocial disorder marker?

[sonatine]

like if youre struggling to make rent ok, i get it. i get how important a few hundred dollars can be, im not looking to shame people for avoiding getting caught up in a system designed to turn coming up $300 short into $3000 worth of drama. take the money, person who needs it to get by.

but i literally cant imagine being someone who can afford to do the right thing and just be like LOL SORRY SUCKER.

[Dan Druff]

like if youre struggling to make rent ok, i get it. i get how important a few hundred dollars can be, im not looking to shame people for avoiding getting caught up in a system designed to turn coming up $300 short into $3000 worth of drama. take the money, person who needs it to get by.

but i literally cant imagine being someone who can afford to do the right thing and just be like LOL SORRY SUCKER.

How is the guy being a scammer not figuring into your thought process here?

[DonaldTrumpsHairPiece]

Oh Druff, my sweet sweet, innocent... no wait, vengeful and vigilante minded man.

The justification to cause harm or payback to this salesman because he is a scammer or slimmy individual on the surface or at first glance seems reasonable.

Where I find issue with it and would personally simply hand the wallet over is due to this....

Who am I or why am I any better of a person that I make that call to seek vengeance? Also the old two wrongs do not make a right come to mind, karma, get back what you put out or ultimately it's YOUR wallet Druff that falls out in a packing lot and the person that finds it googles your name and says boy that Todd is a so and so, I'm keeping the money.

Personally never plan evil in your heart, it comes to death.

Now back to Steelers/Pats

[MumblesBadly]

Oh Druff, my sweet sweet, innocent... no wait, vengeful and vigilante minded man.

The justification to cause harm or payback to this salesman because he is a scammer or slimmy individual on the surface or at first glance seems reasonable.

Where I find issue with it and would personally simply hand the wallet over is due to this....

Who am I or why am I any better of a person that I make that call to seek vengeance? Also the old two wrongs do not make a right come to mind, karma, get back what you put out or ultimately it's YOUR wallet Druff that falls out in a packing lot and the person that finds it googles your name and says boy that Todd is a so and so, I'm keeping the money.

Personally never plan evil in your heart, it comes to death.

Now back to Steelers/Pats

That’s why in Scenario #2 I’d give some of the cash to a homeless person or charity on behalf of the owner of the wallet: I’d be helping his karma.

[Sanlmar]

if you can afford to return someones wallet and you choose to do anything but that, how is that not an antisocial disorder marker?

Didn’t read the whole thread but you gotta do the right thing without qualification. Return the wallet in all circumstances

You might make an impression on a hustler who thinks the rest of the world is on the make too - you might cast some doubt on his only rationale. But all that mystical shit isn’t why you do it

[gimmick]

I had a feeling that a number of people here would posture that they would take the "be the better person, help someone even if they just tried to scam you" option.

Same thing happened on the Twitter poll, though to be fair, the Twitter scenario did not contain the more offensive scam scenario (only a similar story to #1).

I don't believe it.

I think it's easy to sit on your high horse behind the screen and posture about what a great guy you are, but if you just were the victim of an attempted scam, there's very little chance you would return the wallet to help the scammer get it back. I believe a lot of you wouldn't take the wallet, but not that you'd return it for the scammer.

And this would be what dishonest people keep telling themselves.

Do you think you're entitled to cheat rude people in poker? Surely you can cheat people that are cheating you, but what if they're only doing it because you were rude? Is that the point where you say ,my bad i guess i'll just have to work on my people skills? Or is this type of escalation just fine. I assume this scenario ends with them trying to rob you at gun point because you tried to cheat them and you shooting them because they pointed a gun at you.

[Hockey Guy]

I return the wallet, fully intact, in both scenarios but I'm not just gonna return it to the store but would return when he was there & give it back in person after we had a chat about what he tried to do in the 2nd scenario. He'd know that I may be a cheapskate but I'm an honest cheapskate.

I also call BS to Druffs take on both scenarios. We all know the first thing you'd do is try & get the guy fired in the 1st scenario(lol) & get the guy fired in the 2nd(justified).

[Dan Druff]

I had a feeling that a number of people here would posture that they would take the "be the better person, help someone even if they just tried to scam you" option.

Same thing happened on the Twitter poll, though to be fair, the Twitter scenario did not contain the more offensive scam scenario (only a similar story to #1).

I don't believe it.

I think it's easy to sit on your high horse behind the screen and posture about what a great guy you are, but if you just were the victim of an attempted scam, there's very little chance you would return the wallet to help the scammer get it back. I believe a lot of you wouldn't take the wallet, but not that you'd return it for the scammer.

And this would be what dishonest people keep telling themselves.

Do you think you're entitled to cheat rude people in poker? Surely you can cheat people that are cheating you, but what if they're only doing it because you were rude? Is that the point where you say ,my bad i guess i'll just have to work on my people skills? Or is this type of escalation just fine. I assume this scenario ends with them trying to rob you at gun point because you tried to cheat them and you shooting them because they pointed a gun at you.

When did I say I'm entitled to cheat rude people?

In the "rude" scenario (#1), I said I would just walk away and not touch the wallet.

I said I would take the money in #2, because the guy stole from me first. Would I cheat someone in poker who had verifiably just cheated me? Yes.

[Dan Druff]

if you can afford to return someones wallet and you choose to do anything but that, how is that not an antisocial disorder marker?

Didn’t read the whole thread but you gotta do the right thing without qualification. Return the wallet in all circumstances

You might make an impression on a hustler who thinks the rest of the world is on the make too - you might cast some doubt on his only rationale. But all that mystical shit isn’t why you do it

All circumstances?

This sounds good, high, and mighty, until you really think about it.

What if, instead of having just tried a small-time cell phone scam, the guy had just embezzled you out of your life savings, and got away with it? Would you still return his wallet then?

What if he had raped your daughter?

What if he had killed your mother?

At some point, the guy's behavior to you or your family is heinous enough to where you'd be an absolute chump to return his wallet.

So where is that point? You can't just say, "Return it in all circumstances or you're a dishonest person", because that isn't true, and I believe it's a cop-out virtue signal for many who just want to think they're empathetic and not vengeful.

[Dan Druff]

I will say this.

There are some people who absolutely never want to steal under any circumstances, even if the person they're stealing from deserves it. That I understand. Maybe you just don't have it in you to steal, even from a bad guy who stole from you (or did something even worse).

Fine, I can respect that.

But then there's still the option to simply walk away and not touch the wallet. The fact that most of you would actually return the wallet to a guy who just scammed you is mind-boggling. At the very least, just walk away from it and say, "He doesn't deserve my help, but I'm not going to steal back from him, either."

[sonatine]

like if youre struggling to make rent ok, i get it. i get how important a few hundred dollars can be, im not looking to shame people for avoiding getting caught up in a system designed to turn coming up $300 short into $3000 worth of drama. take the money, person who needs it to get by.

but i literally cant imagine being someone who can afford to do the right thing and just be like LOL SORRY SUCKER.

How is the guy being a scammer not figuring into your thought process here?

i take the high road here.

[Sanlmar]

Didn’t read the whole thread but you gotta do the right thing without qualification. Return the wallet in all circumstances

You might make an impression on a hustler who thinks the rest of the world is on the make too - you might cast some doubt on his only rationale. But all that mystical shit isn’t why you do it

All circumstances?

This sounds good, high, and mighty, until you really think about it.

What if, instead of having just tried a small-time cell phone scam, the guy had just embezzled you out of your life savings, and got away with it? Would you still return his wallet then?

What if he had raped your daughter?

What if he had killed your mother?

At some point, the guy's behavior to you or your family is heinous enough to where you'd be an absolute chump to return his wallet.

So where is that point? You can't just say, "Return it in all circumstances or you're a dishonest person", because that isn't true, and I believe it's a cop-out virtue signal for many who just want to think they're empathetic and not vengeful.

Picturing a Clint Eastwood ending where the guy is eating the muzzle of a gun and Clint says, “By the way, you dropped your wallet.”