A five-year-old girl recently

at a Goodwill store and helped return it to its rightful owner. This gave me the idea for this topic.

 

 

 

Before Jagex implemented the trade and drop limits, many people played under the "finders, keepers" concept. For example, if someone were to die and lose a party hat, then anyone who finds the party hat gets to keep it. When someone loses a very expensive item, it could take a very long time to get back what it was worth. The most ethical thing to do in this case is to return the party hat. However, some RuneScape players think otherwise. In fact, a hobby of many players was to look for drop traders and try to intercept their goods. After all, if something is on the ground, you are free to take it.

 

 

 

In real life, things are a bit different. When most people find something valuable on the ground, they will try to return it to its rightful owner. There are lost and found offices for this purpose. Of course, not everyone will return items in the real world (see the comments on the video I posted, for example), but the proportion of people in real life who will return lost items seems significantly higher than in RuneScape. Keeping something that belongs to someone else may actually be illegal. I've heard some places have laws such that if you find money on the ground, you are obligated to give at least 10% to the rightful owner, etc.

 

 

 

Another reason that some players may be "dishonest" in RuneScape is that there is no risk of a physical altercation. In real life, a person can try to physically force you to give back their money.

 

 

 

So, where do you stand?

 

 

 

1. Suppose that the trade limit does not exist, and you found 10 million GP in a "death pile" on the ground at the Karamja cave.

 

 

 

2. Suppose that you find $100 on the floor in Target.

 

 

 

What would you do in these cases?

 

 

 

For the first scenario, I try ask around if anyone died there or post on the forum and ask if someone lost 10 million GP. If nobody comes up I would keep it. (I would keep small "death piles," though.)

 

 

 

For the second choice, I would take it to the lost and found. If the owner cannot be located, I would donate the money somewhere (since my religion says that people should refrain from being greedy).

It's a game, you can't apply real life concepts to it. 10 million gp has no monetary value.

1. Look around to see if i can locate the unlucky dead guy. If I can't, keep it.

 

 

 

2. Keep it... harder than RS to find the real owner and there's a good chance someone would just take it a a lost in found (I know of people who go around to those kinds of things and ask if money has been returned to them).

 

 

 

EDIT:

 

It's a game, you can't apply real life concepts to it. 10 million gp has no monetary value.

 

 

 

Actually on the goldsites that's around $35-$40.

I say keep it for both of the situations you listed... they obviously didn't find said item important enough to make sure they weren't killed with it or didn't drop it. Let's face it money doesn't have a trace anyways so how can you ever be sure it's theres?

 

 

 

If fate brought it to you then you were meant to have it.

Scenario 1 - Pure profit for me.

 

Scenario 2 - see scenario 1.

 

 

 

If however the cash was in a wallet with ID for scenario 2, then I would endeavour to return the wallet and cash to its rightfull owner. If it was a lazy hundy floating in the breeze - its mine :)

1. Suppose that the trade limit does not exist, and you found 10 million GP in a "death pile" on the ground at the Karamja cave.

 

2. Suppose that you find $100 on the floor in Target.

 

What would you do in these cases?

 

 

 

Keep it

The problem with returning things in Runescape, is that there are more people who are likely to lie about ownership and then you'll end up "returning" a high priced item, money, ect to someone who just lied to get it. That's why I think that people were more likely to keep things for themselves in the first place.

Well it depends on how the money got to be there. If I saw someone drop money on the ground, I'd probably stop them and return it. But if it's just sitting there saying "Well hello, friend, pick me up and I'm all yours!" then hell-o free cash.

Keep it both times. Unless they ask...

 

On RS I'd split it if they asked, irl if they ask for the money I'll give it to them, if they can tell me exactl how much it is...etc

If you were to find a wallet with $100 on the floor, you would have a way of identifying the person who lost it. That could be the $100 someone just took out as their last bit of money for the week, to feed their family. If a loose $100 note is floating around, however, there is no way to identify the owner, and anyone careless enough to lose a c-note like that can probably afford it.

Another reason that some players may be "dishonest" in RuneScape is that there is no risk of a physical altercation. In real life, a person can try to physically force you to give back their money.

 

 

 

This in my opinion is the driving factor - the internet allows people to do and say whatever they want without consequence, and it also allows us to be guilt-free. Because it's virtual, we ignore reality (people's feelings for example).

 

 

 

For the first scenario, I try ask around if anyone died there or post on the forum and ask if someone lost 10 million GP.

 

 

 

The biggest problem with that is that you have no idea whether or not the person who claims it is telling the truth.

 

 

 

For the second choice, I would take it to the lost and found. If the owner cannot be located, I would donate the money somewhere (since my religion says that people should refrain from being greedy).

 

 

 

This is kind of hard to argue for me because you mention religion, and I consider all religion to be nonsense. However, it is an honourable act (although again, in a lost and found anyone could claim it by lying). Either way you are performing a selfish act - if you keep it for yourself, you clearly have your own financial interests in mind. If, on the other hand, you give it to charity, you are doing this because it makes you feel good about yourself, or because you want to please whichever deity you so choose; either way you have your own interests at heart, and I, therefore, would keep the cash.

In both cases, I'd keep it. There's so many people that will say it's theirs, you might just get yourself scammed out of the $100, not even giving it to its owner.

Scenario 1: Keep it

 

Scenario 2: Keep it

 

 

 

How could you track down the real owner? Maybe the person who says it's theirs is lieing.

1. Keep it, if the guy who died shows up, I'll give him part of it. Ask them how much money they lost, if it's the same amount, you know it's them.

 

2. Keep it, I wouldn't be able to find the man.

Hate to say it, but I think there are a lot of people that would be more than willing to keep whatever someone loses for themselves. I dunno about you, but where I grow up, it's pretty common that thefts happen. In my middle school, in my high school, thefts were very common, and our school had the lowest theft rate in the city. And if people are willing to steal your stuff in RL why in the world would they want to return something someone lost?

1. I'd keep it unless I had lots of proof that the person who claimed he died, actually was the owner.

 

2. I'd keep it unless there was like identification with the money, then i'd return it.

The first one I'd keep. The second I'd keep as well. In both cases, as has been said multiple times, finding the PROPER owner would be nigh impossible. In scenario two, if it was a personal effect or wallet, than, yes, I'd attempt to find the owner. But a 100 bucks floating in the breeze? Hello Wrath of the Lich King.

For scenario #1 I would give them only a portion of that 10M back, say 2M and the rest is a finders fee, otherwise how will they learn not to go into dangerous areas with ridiculous amounts of GP? Next time they'll no better and I'll have taught them a valuable lesson. And even if I did keep all of it so what? It's virtual money, no physical or real financial harm will come to whoever lost it to begin with.

 

 

 

For scenario #2 as long as it was in a wallet with ID I would try my absolute hardest to get that 100$ back to whoever lost it. That could be their rent or grocery money for all you know and keeping it could seriously screw something up in their lives. Also I would feel pretty obligated to find the person as once I lost my wallet in a mall with 250$ in it, and I got it back with no money missing.

I'd definitely give back the $100. Losing that is just heart-wrenching, especially when you're out to pay a bill. I'd attempt to contact whoever died with the 11M, but if I couldn't find them, oh well I suppose.

1. Suppose that the trade limit does not exist, and you found 10 million GP in a "death pile" on the ground at the Karamja cave.

 

 

 

I would keep it and hang around for about two minutes. If I was carrying cash already and picked that up I be forced to take a low estimate guess at what I had and what to give back if someone claimed it. If it was on the floor and someone else was running at the same time as me and they said it was theres I would not give it back. Its too easy to lie in that situation. So whoever lost it better hope they get their first or aint there at all then return.

 

 

 

If it was an idiot ranting and raving I would keep it and laugh at them to kick it in further. For being rude to me.

 

 

 

2. Suppose that you find $100 on the floor in Target.

 

 

 

I have no idea what 'target' is but if I found cash on the floor anywhere then I would just take it.. Real life is more dangerous involving money and anyone could of seen me take it. Its also highly risky to even approach in many places..So be careful. I wouldnt believe anyone and I would want to get out of their fast. Even if I found it on the floor of a shop I would take it as giving it to the people who work there is stupid. They would take it from me if I asked them to see if anyone claimed.. I would rather profit it from myself then giving to someone else for free..

 

 

 

Money is a stupid example. If it was a wallet I could look for things for the person to prove who they are. If they could prove it I would give it back. Yes I would also remove the majority of the money leaving a tiny bit in there incase someone tried to steal it from me. Aslong as it looked like it had someone they less likely to try hurt me. The owner should have some kinda idea what is in the wallet to prove themselves and I would give -all- of it back. I rather not keep it in there until they prove themselves though.

 

 

 

If I saw someone leave something behind them I would get it and chase them to give it back.. Any objects that arnt worth too much I would try to give to someone to see if they claimed and not worry about it. Anything with value.. A pricey watch I probably keep as there is simply no way to prove identity! Even if it was in a shop and I gave them my details to phone me up if someone claimed -there is no way for me to know its one of them! phoning me.- IF though it had some kind of inscription and they could tell me I would be convinced and give it back of course.

 

 

 

The main thing is they need to prove themselves and I aint letting them get near it until they do.

 

 

 

Oh and btw anyone who trusts the police to not steal money you might find is an idiot. -.- They are human like anyone else. Its better keeping yourself but seriously.. If you DO find a suitcase full of money.. Give to the police anyway. If you value your life..

I change my answer

 

 

 

Scenario 1: Keep it

 

Scenario 2: Try to contact the owner or give it to the police. There's a difference between money in a game and money in real life.

 

In real life, things are a bit different. When most people find something valuable on the ground, they will try to return it to its rightful owner. There are lost and found offices for this purpose. Of course, not everyone will return items in the real world (see the comments on the video I posted, for example), but the proportion of people in real life who will return lost items seems significantly higher than in RuneScape. Keeping something that belongs to someone else may actually be illegal. I've heard some places have laws such that if you find money on the ground, you are obligated to give at least 10% to the rightful owner, etc.

 

 

 

 

In my country (Germany) not giving back lost items or money worth more than 10 not their owner or not bringing them to a Lost-and-found office is considered theft. You may claim a reward of 5% of the items worth or even ownership after a certain period of time.

 

 

 

To your scenarios:

 

 

 

1.) If i saw somebody die and be able to catch their name I'd try to contact them and give the stuff back. If I can't, my luck. This wouldn't count for droptraders, though, since they are/were breaking the rules, so keeping their stuff would be a kind of punishment. I have given back items several times before the trade restrictions and have been given back also.

 

 

 

2.) I real life, I would also try to give lost items back - they don't belong to me after all. Of course, this is practically impossible if you find a bill on the ground, but anything where the owner can be identified should be returned or at least tried to via lost-and-found.

1. If the guy turned up quickly and could prove it was his then yeah I'd probably give it back. Otherwise I'd keep it.

 

 

 

2. If it was just loose money I'd take it but if I found it in a wallet or purse then I'd try hard to give it back. I'd feel so horrible if I lost money to pay the bills or food, a lot of people (my family included) can't afford to lose that sort of money. And even though It'd be good to get money like that, it'd be cruel to not try and help find whoever lost it. :(

Scenario 1. Suppose that the trade limit does not exist, and you found 10 million GP in a "death pile" on the ground at the Karamja cave.

 

 

 

I'd laugh at whoever died there and take it, being happy that I can now get 73 smithing or something. Possibly, I'd give back something like 10K to tease them because I'm cruel.

 

 

 

Scenario 2. Suppose that you find $100 on the floor in Target.

 

 

 

Well, if it's just $100 and nothing else, I'd take it. If there is an I.D. card next to it and stuff, I'd take it... to the police. :lol: This situation needs more clarification, but as a general thumb, if I don't know whose it might be, I'm going home $100 richer. Even if someone asked for it, I'd say something like "I saw the person who lost it, it wasn't you" - if he can't claim it rightfully, why should it be theirs?

1. I would probably keep the RS money, but I don't play so meh.

 

2. Hand the money in, but hesitantly because I have a feeling someone who doesn't actually own the money is gonna claim it. But idk, the situation hasn't really happened to me.. I might keep it. gah.