mom2bee Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I found a wallet today. I would like to return it as quickly and painlessly as possible. However, using his legal name, I can not find this person on social media. According to his drivers license he lives over 200 miles away. However I'm guessing he's a student that lives here now because despite "living" 200+ miles away, he has a card to the local library and an account with a local bank, so my guess is that he's a student who didn't update his license when he moved here. If I drop the wallet in a post box, they'll send it to a house 200 miles away. Painless for me, not so much the rightful owner. Is it proper/okay to drop off a found wallet to a Bank or library and ask them to contact the card holder, because presumably they have his contact information right? The bank is closed on the weekend, but I don't see anything about this being possible on the libraries website... Is there some other way of resolving this that I'm over-looking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Police? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I'd take it to the library and see if they will look him up on their computer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 In the past when things like this have happened, I've put up a sign around where I found the item (and in this case, I might put another sign up at the library) stating "I found a dropped wallet. I will return it to the person who matches the ID card. Please call me at: 555-5555". (Or if it's not a wallet with an ID, I say "I'll return it to the person who can describe what I found.") That usually works within hours. If it didn't, then I'd go to the police - though, again, in this case it might be easier to run by the library and ask them to call like it was in their lost and found. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Put up signs stating a found wallet was taken to the local police. Take wallet to police. Make sure they know you left signs up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocassie Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I would take it to the library, and ask them to contact the individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valley Girl Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I'd notify the police rather than ask the library or bank to contact the person. (When I worked retail, we were not allowed to contact a customer if we found a driver's license that had been left behind. If we found a credit card, we were not allowed to call the number on it so that the company could contact the customer. Everything was locked up until the customer came back looking for it. I'm sure there were reasons for the policy, but I always felt sorry for the people who must have been frantically looking for their lost items.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 If we found a credit card, we were not allowed to call the number on it so that the company could contact the customer. I tried that once, and the credit company cancelled the card. I sat there on the phone going "This was NOT what I was asking you to do". I felt so bad! I hadn't meant to make that woman's life harder in that little way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Student Affairs at the university might be able to help. If you google the home address, does a phone number come up? Try adding the last name. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksr5377 Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I lost my keys and had my library card attached to the key chain. Whoever found them (Bless them!!!) turned them in at a local branch and then the library looked me up and called me in. That may be the easiest thing to do. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted December 5, 2015 Author Share Posted December 5, 2015 The wallet is packed with a lot of stuff so I'm torn about whether I should "rummage" through Owners personal belongings to find more identifying information on him. Its so thick/tightly packed that I'll have to take out a wad of cards and papers in order to find anything. Just peering into the wallet, I can only see the cards/items on top so I can't even see if there is a student ID. I want to see the wallet returned, but I don't want Owner to feel violated when he gets it back. Where is the line between good samaritan and nosy-busy-body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Will the police attempt to contact him to let him know they have the wallet? If they are just going to hold it in case someone comes for it, I'd be more inclined to mail it to the home address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted December 5, 2015 Author Share Posted December 5, 2015 Will the police attempt to contact him to let him know they have the wallet? If they are just going to hold it in case someone comes for it, I'd be more inclined to mail it to the home address. Police only hold on to the item for X days, then the finder may claim it, or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 (edited) I found a wallet a few months ago. I totally dug through, found a receipt with the owners cell# and texted him that it would be at our town Sheriff's Dept. He was very grateful. Edited December 5, 2015 by Miss Peregrine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 He's lost his wallet. He'll probably feel violated no matter what. Look through it if you think there's more contact info. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 He's lost his wallet. He'll probably feel violated no matter what. Look through it if you think there's more contact info. I have lost my wallet in three countries, two very poor and corrupt, and it's been returned every time. Never felt violated. On the contrary, it's one of the reasons I continue to do the work I do. I just can't lose hope. I agree that the library's the best bet, and after that, send it to them 200+ miles away. In spite of everything, at least it will get there safely. I wouldn't leave it with the police as they don't always call and have other work to do. Good luck, OP. :) I'd stick a Starbucks gift card in there for good measure, give it to the library or send it via flat rate mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I'd look through it to see if there is a student ID. If there is, contact the university. Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I have lost my wallet in three countries, two very poor and corrupt, and it's been returned every time. Never felt violated. On the contrary, it's one of the reasons I continue to do the work I do. I just can't lose hope. I agree that the library's the best bet, and after that, send it to them 200+ miles away. In spite of everything, at least it will get there safely. I wouldn't leave it with the police as they don't always call and have other work to do. Good luck, OP. :) I'd stick a Starbucks gift card in there for good measure, give it to the library or send it via flat rate mail. I would feel violated no matter where I lost it and who found it and would make no difference if anything were taken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I think going to the library is a great idea. They should be able to contact him by phone or email right away. I'm sure he will be thrilled. The bank is also a good option IMO. Nice and safe. :) A couple times I left my ATM card in the ATM, and they called for me to come pick it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I would feel violated no matter where I lost it and who found it and would make no difference if anything were taken. Well, you're welcome to your feelings, but I don't know if most of us would feel so strongly about losing our wallets. It's possible I'm wrong or misunderstand you, of course. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I'd take it to the library and see if they will look him up on their computer. I would take it to the library, and ask them to contact the individual. I think going to the library is a great idea. They should be able to contact him by phone or email right away. I'm sure he will be thrilled. The bank is also a good option IMO. Nice and safe. :) A couple times I left my ATM card in the ATM, and they called for me to come pick it up. I do not understand why one would ask a librarian to find this person. That is not their job. They are not the holders of community personal information for anyone to access, much less a person 200 miles away. In fact, most American public libraries have policies against sharing information freely without the library card owner's permission. I would turn it into the local police if there was no contact information inside of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I'd notify the police rather than ask the library or bank to contact the person. (When I worked retail, we were not allowed to contact a customer if we found a driver's license that had been left behind. If we found a credit card, we were not allowed to call the number on it so that the company could contact the customer. Everything was locked up until the customer came back looking for it. I'm sure there were reasons for the policy, but I always felt sorry for the people who must have been frantically looking for their lost items.) especially if they've contacted the store before it got turned in, and then no one contacts them to let them know someone did turn it in . . . Having recentingly been in this position (I dropped a very small wallet in a cab - between the seats.). I very, very frantically, and late at night (on a weekend) attempted to make contact with the cab company. voice mail hell. we paid cash - so no recipet. the cabbie had a hard time finding a phone number for me - somehow he ended up calling a medical office/ wasn't quite clear. he got my phone number - and we drove to his house to pick it up. he refused a reward. . he didn't turn it in to his manager (or whatever they call them), he managed to track me down. if the library will give you a phone number (I would NOT leave it with them.), great. then call, and make arrangements. (or allow the librian to call while you wait if their policy doesn't allow them to give out the number.) otherwise, I'd give it to the police, and let them know exactly where and when you found it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I had this happen once. I called the library, and asked THEM to give the library card holder my phone number, which they did. A little while later I got a call from the owner. I asked what the wallet looked like and what else was in it, and then when I was sure that this was the real owner I gave her my home address, and she came by about half an hour later and picked it up. She was pretty happy to get it back, especially WITH the cash still in it. And she was young, maybe 15 or so, so her dad drove her over. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I have lost my wallet in three countries, two very poor and corrupt, and it's been returned every time. Never felt violated. On the contrary, it's one of the reasons I continue to do the work I do. I just can't lose hope. I agree that the library's the best bet, and after that, send it to them 200+ miles away. In spite of everything, at least it will get there safely. I wouldn't leave it with the police as they don't always call and have other work to do. Good luck, OP. :) I'd stick a Starbucks gift card in there for good measure, give it to the library or send it via flat rate mail. what does it say about me that I was glad the cab driver was indian, I felt i had a very high chance of seeing it again (provided he found it before a dishonest fare.) I kept thinking of the gabriel iglesias routine about Indian bank robbers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6APh7ov4rM (and honestly, I desperately needed the catharsis of laughter.) (the drive thru voice is really good.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I tried that once, and the credit company cancelled the card. I sat there on the phone going "This was NOT what I was asking you to do". I felt so bad! I hadn't meant to make that woman's life harder in that little way. I suspect they had to do that. Once the credit card company knows the card is in the possession of someone who is not the card-holder, I think they have to cancel. They are liable if there are fraudulent charges. It seems silly, because if someone is calling to report a found card, they are not likely to use it. But, I think it's following due diligence on the bank's part. Once I left a credit card behind at a store. They called me to tell me they had it, and that they'd called the bank to cancel it. I was annoyed but they said they had to do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 No, I understand why they did it, but I resolved never to call the card company again in matters like this. Complete waste of time, as they of course also refused to pass along my information to the cardholder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Well, you're welcome to your feelings, but I don't know if most of us would feel so strongly about losing our wallets. It's possible I'm wrong or misunderstand you, of course. I don't know what the problem is. I'm just saying stopping yourself from finding possible contact information because the owner might feel violated isn't necessary because he might feel violated anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjffkj Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Bring it to the library and see if they'll contact him. My library has called me when my library card was found. So at most you could give the library card to the library and ask them to give him your number when he retrieves his card. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valley Girl Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 especially if they've contacted the store before it got turned in, and then no one contacts them to let them know someone did turn it in . . . Exactly! I always told people who called to call back again in a few days in case the item turned up. I also posted notes that an item was lost, and someone was looking for it. Having been in that situation myself, it's frustrating to feel that people aren't "really" looking when you call. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 (edited) The wallet is packed with a lot of stuff so I'm torn about whether I should "rummage" through Owners personal belongings to find more identifying information on him. Its so thick/tightly packed that I'll have to take out a wad of cards and papers in order to find anything. Just peering into the wallet, I can only see the cards/items on top so I can't even see if there is a student ID. I want to see the wallet returned, but I don't want Owner to feel violated when he gets it back. Where is the line between good samaritan and nosy-busy-body? I don't get that logic. I would look through the wallet to see if I could find a business card or other contact info. Otherwise, I'd take it to the police. (Actually, I'd have left it at the service desk wherever I found it, as that's logically one of the the first places he'd look for it while retracing his steps.) There's no way he'd be more upset that you looked through his wallet than he is right now, having no idea what happened to it. Edited December 5, 2015 by Word Nerd 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Normally I'd say go to the police but after reading you haven't really looked through the wallet, I'd start there first. Realistically anywhere you might leave the wallet with have some kind of red tape about who/how/where to contact this person or not and the fastest way to get it back to them is to contact them directly. Which you can hopefully do after looking through the wallet. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I do not understand why one would ask a librarian to find this person. That is not their job. They are not the holders of community personal information for anyone to access, much less a person 200 miles away. In fact, most American public libraries have policies against sharing information freely without the library card owner's permission. I would turn it into the local police if there was no contact information inside of it. Our librarians would contact the person. The person's current address probably isn't 200 miles away if they hold a local library card. What a sad world this would be if we were unwilling to make a phone call to help someone because it "isn't our job". :( 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I'd much rather someone look through my wallet and find me rather than it stay lost. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 (edited) I'd much rather someone look through my wallet and find me rather than it stay lost. and that boys and girls, is why I got my wallet back in 12 hours (and before I started cancelling my credit cards . . . )- and not seven days . . . Edited December 5, 2015 by gardenmom5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I'd much rather someone look through my wallet and find me rather than it stay lost. Same here! We found a wallet in a parking lot once and the first thing I did was go through it to find the owner's driver's license. It never occurred to me that it might be considered snooping -- I just want to get his wallet back to him ASAP. If his address had been far away but I thought he might be a college student, I would have tried to get a phone number for the address on the license and call to see if it was his parents' house. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 I do not understand why one would ask a librarian to find this person. That is not their job. They are not the holders of community personal information for anyone to access, much less a person 200 miles away. In fact, most American public libraries have policies against sharing information freely without the library card owner's permission. I would turn it into the local police if there was no contact information inside of it. Would you feel the same if it was only the library card that was returned to the library? If the librarian would contact a person about a lost-and-found library card, then what's the difference? Anyway, there's no harm in asking at the library, is there? They can always tell the finder to go pound salt. I guess the person finding the wallet could take the same attitude - "it's not MY job to get this wallet back to its owner" and just leave it on the ground. But thankfully, most people would rather try to help. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Would you feel the same if it was only the library card that was returned to the library? If the librarian would contact a person about a lost-and-found library card, then what's the difference? Anyway, there's no harm in asking at the library, is there? They can always tell the finder to go pound salt. I guess the person finding the wallet could take the same attitude - "it's not MY job to get this wallet back to its owner" and just leave it on the ground. But thankfully, most people would rather try to help. Yes, and also, the guy who lost his wallet may have called the library to see if anyone turned it in, and left his phone number with them just in case. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Our library has our email address and could easily send us a message about the wallet, just like they send us emails about many other things. It might be a small extra effort, but it seems to me that it's worth it, and I'm sure the librarian would hope someone would do the same for them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Any updates? Did you manage to return the wallet to its owner? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Yes, and also, the guy who lost his wallet may have called the library to see if anyone turned it in, and left his phone number with them just in case. I doubt he would think to ask for it at the library unless that's where he lost it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I doubt he would think to ask for it at the library unless that's where he lost it. Thank you -- I don't know what made me think the OP found the wallet at the library! I saw that the library card was mentioned and for some reason, I got it into my head that she found the wallet there. Thanks for setting me straight!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted December 6, 2015 Author Share Posted December 6, 2015 Just to let you lovely ladies know, the wallet was returned safely this morning! I managed to find his mom online and I called her. She gave me an address and a cell number for the owner, he lived within 10 minutes of my house, so we rode out this morning and placed it in his mailbox, then gave him a call. He was very happy to have it back :) 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Just to let you lovely ladies know, the wallet was returned safely this morning! I managed to find his mom online and I called her. She gave me an address and a cell number for the owner, he lived within 10 minutes of my house, so we rode out this morning and placed it in his mailbox, then gave him a call. He was very happy to have it back :) Great! Kudos to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Just to let you lovely ladies know, the wallet was returned safely this morning! How very kind of you. He's a fortunate young man that it's you who found his wallet. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I'm glad the wallet owner was located. Had the wallet been lost at the library, Inwould totally understand if it was turned in there. If a library card has been lost, yes, returning it to the library makes sense. But just a random wallet on a random street in a random city? Perhaps I would turn it into a local business if it were found in a parking lot. But let's say It was found in a gutter on the side of a roaad. The I would take it to the police. If they said take it to the library, then it makes sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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