Money Moral Dilemma: Should I take cash left in the self-service machine?

bzd

jsrees wrote: »

slightly off-topic, but I once found a muddy £20 note in my path while cycling slowly up a steep hill - it could have been there for ages as neither drivers nor pedestrians on the pavement would have been able to notice it. When I got home, I found that it wasn't mud but dog poo. Still worth washing & using though, but it set me thinking, what's the lowest value contaminated note or coin that you would knowingly pick up and wash?

I'm now wondering what's the largest value note that would make it through a dog without being partially digested!? The new Clydesdale plastic notes would probably be okay.

BTW, EWWWW

MissMagrat

My sister and niece were shopping, used one of the self pay machines. They were in a rush and she picked up her change without checking it. It later turned out that the person who used the machine in front of them used the machines cashback option but forgot to pick up the money they asked for. My niece had accidentally picked up their cashback as part of her change without realising it. When the other customer returned to the store, my niece and sister were reported to the police for theft based on the CCTV. Luckily, as it was a genuine mistake and she was able to give the money back she wasn't charged. I would therefore make sure to hand any money into the supermarket if I found it in the self serve machines!

Bonjour13

Can't believe some of the responses on here!

The money is NOT YOURS. Not yours to keep, not yours to give away, whether to charity or anywhere else. So you hand it in. End of.

fatpiggy

I was distracted by something on the only occasion I've ever used a self-service till for cashback and left my £20 in it. I didn't realise until the next day when I was supposed to be paying someone the £20 (had th write them a cheque). No-one handed it in

sugarbaby125

I know some people have questioned the honesty of people that work in retail, but those that do are honest. Any bad apples are soon prosecuted. I worked in retail for many years and apart from being fussy with the money in 'my' till being tidy, I would never ever think of any money I handled as mine. You regularly find dropped coins or the odd dropped note in the course of the working day, which you always have to hand in, or put into your till.

wdah

What an odd question; you should always look to hand in lost property, whatever it is.

cherryelle

I work for a well known supermarket and the rules on money left in self scan vary with each store. Firstly, in my store we always try to return money back to the customer if we find it. Second, if we know the money doesn't belong to you and we spot you take it before we can reach it, we will approach you:o, however in times when we can't go running across the car park after people! We records times and dates etc and keep the money in the safe for 1month. Previously after the month the employee who found the cash would receive it, but with the new manager it is now added to the charity of the month fund. Oh also, unless we actually see who left the money or a receipt is left we have no way of knowing who the money belongs to.

dave260

I found £20 in the self service drawer at Asda. I handed it in to Customer Services who said if not claimed after 3 months the I would be given the money to keep. After 3 months I inquired if anyone had claimed it and was given the money. Felt much better for doing so as the person who left it could have been worse off than me.

dc_scotland

If you don't hand it in, you could find yourself accused of theft, with your photo being published in the media:
http://www.cumbriacrack.com/2015/05/13/police-probe-cashback-theft-at-morrisons-whitehaven/

debbiesmum

Seriously - you have to ask the question? It's stealing if you keep it. Should hand in to customer serve desk - who knows customer may have come back to the store having realised they left cash.