Nighthawk From UK - Scotland, joined Sep 2001, 4989 posts, RR: 38 Posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1441 times:
just found an interesting story on BBC news -
Basically, a couple found a winning lottery ticket lying on the floor in a supermarket, and decided to cash it. The owner still had the receipt and was able to prove ownership. the couple that found it got done for fraud and were ordered to repay half the prize money.
Is finding a ticket and cashing it really fraud? Hardly crime of the century!
Braybuddy From Ireland, joined Aug 2004, 5286 posts, RR: 35 Reply 3, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1331 times:
I don't know if this is true, but as a kid I remember being told that if you found something it was your duty to hand it into a police station, and if it wasn't claimed within a year and a day you were entitled to keep it legally.
Nighthawk From UK - Scotland, joined Sep 2001, 4989 posts, RR: 38 Reply 5, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 1266 times:
Quoting Braybuddy (Reply 3): I don't know if this is true, but as a kid I remember being told that if you found something it was your duty to hand it into a police station, and if it wasn't claimed within a year and a day you were entitled to keep it legally.
Its a month in the UK. When I worked in a supermarket I found a fiver on the floor and handed it to the manager. I had to take it to the police, and a month later no-one claimed it, so I got to keep it. Which kind of goes against the national lotteries advice, they say you have to hand it to them, and if its unclaimed for 120 days you can claim it. But as mentioned, a month in the police station and its legally yours.
KC135TopBoom From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 11708 posts, RR: 52 Reply 6, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 1249 times:
Quoting Nighthawk (Thread starter): The owner still had the receipt and was able to prove ownership. the couple that found it got done for fraud and were ordered to repay half the prize money.
Is finding a ticket and cashing it really fraud?
I don't know how it works in the UK, but in the US, once ownership is established, it could be theft.
I don't understand why they were allowed to keep half of the prize money.
David L From United Kingdom, joined May 1999, 9216 posts, RR: 42 Reply 7, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 1233 times:
Quoting Daleaholic (Reply 4): They were stupid enough to lose it, why should they deserve it?
... but stupidity and carelessness aren't crimes. Fraud and theft are.
Quoting KC135TopBoom (Reply 6): I don't know how it works in the UK, but in the US, once ownership is established, it could be theft.
Had they found £30k in cash and kept it, I assume that would be theft. Since they had to pretend the lottery ticket was theirs in order to get the money, I assume that's what makes it fraud.
Photopilot From Cuba, joined Jul 2002, 2439 posts, RR: 20 Reply 9, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 1198 times:
Quote: A spokesman for Camelot (the lottery firm) said: "We have a clear lost-and-found policy.
"If a member of the public finds the ticket they should send it to our prize payout department, setting out in writing the circumstances of the find and the steps they took [if any] to reunite the ticket with its rightful owner.
"If no corresponding prize claim or lost ticket notice has been received, the prize may be paid to the finder at Camelot's discretion after the expiry of the 180-day claim deadline."
According to the story, the lottery firm has a clear lost-and-found policy. For the couple to claim the ticket (knowing they wern't the ones who bought it) they had to misrepresent that fact to the lottery firm. That act of misrepresentation is and becomes a fraud. If they'd simply followed the posted rules it's likely that the original lottery purchaser might never have filed a lost claim (prior to the 180 day deadline) and they would have been free and clear. But they were greedy, and now pay for that greed.
David L From United Kingdom, joined May 1999, 9216 posts, RR: 42 Reply 10, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1195 times:
Quoting BMIFlyer (Reply 8): By the ways, it wasn't fraud or theft...... It was pure Greed.
They tried to take ~£30,000 that wasn't theirs. There's no law against greed, as far as I know.
Quoting Photopilot (Reply 9): For the couple to claim the ticket (knowing they wern't the ones who bought it) they had to misrepresent that fact to the lottery firm. That act of misrepresentation is and becomes a fraud.
As much as some would like to think we're entitled to anything we find, the law doesn't seem to agree... thankfully.
KC135TopBoom From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 11708 posts, RR: 52 Reply 11, posted (3 years 10 months 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 1158 times:
Quoting BMIFlyer (Reply 8): Quoting KC135TopBoom (Reply 6):
I don't understand why they were allowed to keep half of the prize money.
They had already spent half, so gave what was left to the real winner.
That's pretty harsh. You'd have to prove that they knew the ticket belonged to someone else who wanted it back, and took the money with malicious intent.
I'd just make them repay all the money, not just the half they had left.
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
Cgnnrw From Germany, joined May 2005, 1077 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (3 years 10 months 9 hours ago) and read 1044 times:
The finders shouldn't go to jail but I think they should pay all the money back to the ticket's owner.
In Germany if you find a briefcase full of cash you are required to turn it in to the police. I think after 90 days if nobody claims it or its rightful owner can't be located you get to keep it and its tax free! If the owner is located he/she is required by law to give the finder 10%. The reason behind this is to encourage people to go to the police when they find it.
If someone finds a piece of jewelry or similiar, the price is appraised and the owner has to pay the finder 10% of the object's value.
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As much as some would like to think we're entitled to anything we find, the law doesn't seem to agree... thankfully.
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