What to do if you find someone else's wallet, and why it is better not to rush to pick it up

Imagine: you are walking down the street and you see a wallet lying on the ground. Or you come to a cafe and find a forgotten wallet on a seat. Or bump into it elsewhere. You probably want to check what's inside. Someone - to return the loss to the owner. Someone - in the hope that there is a large amount of money that can be taken.

Let's figure out how best to do it so as not to make problems.

Are you obliged to return the found wallet

Oftentimes, the property of lost things is treated lightly: “Lost your wallet? Well, think about it, it's his own fault, here's a loser. " That is why people take things for themselves, even if they know who lost them. But the Civil Code hasCivil Code of the Russian Federation Article 227. Find amulet from such thoughts:

Every effort must be made to locate the owner. And this is not the only responsibility that arises when you pick up a find. Here are a few more:

• The thing must be stored carefully. If it is damaged or destroyed, the owner will have to compensate for its cost. But only if you did it on purpose or through gross negligence. If the find was damaged by accident, for example, when fire, then you will not be responsible.
• If what is discovered quickly deteriorates or it is very expensive to store it for some reason, then it is necessary to sell it and get a paper that will confirm the amount of proceeds. For example, take a receipt from the buyer. The money will then have to be returned to the owner, if he is found.

What happens if you assign a wallet

In general, a find is not a criminal offenseDifference between a find and a theft in criminal proceedings / Website of the Russian MIA Administration for the Arkhangelsk Region. If they find you, they will ask you to return the wallet with all its contents.

But the point, as always, is in the nuances. For example, there is a difference whether a person has lost a thing or left it. In the first case, he has no idea where she is. In the second, he has a good idea. And taking what was left is theft, especially if there is data by which the owner can be identified. At least he thinks soCassation ruling of the Judicial Collegium for Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated April 19, 2017 No. 75-UD17-2 Supreme Court.

It is not so easy to understand whether a person has lost his wallet or forgot it on the bench and is already running to pick it up. And finding who has a thing is now quite simple - there are cameras everywhere. In general, it is better not to risk it again.

What to do with someone else's wallet

Initially, you can look for its owner yourself. The wallet sometimes contains some kind of contact information or, for example, cards with the name and surname of the person. The easiest way to go with a map is two ways:

1. Call the bank at the number indicated on the card. The institution will block it and transfer your contacts to the owner. And he will already be able to contact you.
2. Transfer a symbolic amount by card number, and indicate your contacts in the comments.

Another option is to try to find the owner on social networks, but this will only work if the first and last name are rare.

But if you find a thing in some room or in transport, it should be given to those who represent this object - this is the way it should be by law. Found a purse in a tram - give it to the driver. V store - to the seller. Together with the find, responsibility for it also passes to them. That is, they must already look for the owner and ensure the safety of the thing. This is no longer your headache. Of course, you cannot be sure that the person to whom you handed the wallet will not own it. But you have fulfilled your civic duty.

If it was not possible to find the owner immediately, and you found the thing not in the premises or in the vehicle, you must report this to the police or local government.

How to legally keep your wallet

Police or local government officials have sixCivil Code of the Russian Federation Article 228. Acquisition of title to find months to find the owner. If during this period it was not possible to establish it, the thing goes to the one who found it.

To do this, when you transfer the find, you must write an application and receive a notification coupon. The document must indicate the date, time, place and circumstances under which you found the wallet. And also note that you want to get ownership of it if the owner is not found. And if so, then in six months the thing is yours.

Within six months, you can keep the find at home or turn it over to the police or the administration. The Guardian bears full responsibility for it. And if the owner is still installed, it must be returned on demand.

If you had a wallet, after six months you can dispose of its contents (but not bank cards, of course). If you are in the police or the administration, you must go there with a notification coupon and pick up your thing now.

Why you should think three times before picking up your wallet

Sometimes it's easier to just walk past someone else's loss. There are several reasons for this.

This could be a fraudulent scheme

Cybercriminals periodically use lost wallets for their own purposes. The victim finds the wallet, opens it. A "witness" appears next to him: "I saw everything, let's divide the money?" Then comes the "owner" of the wallet, takes it and says: “But here there are only 10 thousand, but there were 100.5 million, now I will declare you in the police! There is a witness! " And often the victims, under the onslaught, agree to compensate for the "stolen".

The owner may be ungrateful

The person will really lose their wallet. But in the future, the scheme will resemble a fraudulent one. He will say that there was much more money in the wallet. And you try to prove that you did not take anything - his word is against yours.

You may become a suspect in a crime

Often, having lost a thing, the owners do not look for it, but immediately write a statement about theft. If the police accept him, they will start looking for the thief. And they will find you. And it will be doubly suspicious if you did not tell anyone about the find.

You will get extra hassle, even if you do everything right

First, the lost must be handed over to the competent authorities. Then, perhaps, the police will decide to interrogate you - suddenly, some circumstances will help to find the owner. All this, of course, during working hours. Sometimes it's easier not to get involved.

What you definitely don't need to do

Spend money from bank cards

The owner of the card is known - this is the bank whose number is indicated on it. And money at all did not get lost, they count. So attempts to pay with someone else's card or withdraw some amount from it are a direct path to punishment.Criminal Code of the Russian Federation Article 159.3. Fraud using electronic means of payment to the fullest extent of the law. Moreover, finding out who used the find is as easy as shelling pears: ATMs and shops are equipped with cameras, and when ordering online, you must provide contact information.

Pay with money without checking its authenticity

If the bills are fake and you try to dispose of them, an unpleasant conversation with the police may take place. Which runs the risk of ending up with criminal liabilityRF Criminal Code Article 186. Making, storing, transporting or selling counterfeit money or securities.