In a contentious e-mail chain Labrecque provided to Action News 5, he asked for a cut of the cash. The buyer declined, citing Labrecque's seller policy that states, "What you see is what you get, no returns, and no money back."

Labrecque said this is different.

"That's a chunk of change, you know. That's life-altering money," he said. "I mean, if I was in that situation and I found that kind of money and I bought it from someone, I'd say, 'Here man, I found this money. I'll give you half of it.'"

Well of COURSE he'd be willing to accept money. Severely doubting the likelihood of him giving it up, though.

thalassatx: I love that this dude says "What you see is what you get, no returns, and no money back," and then wants a cut of the cash. F you, buddy :)

This.

labman: If he did get any money from the guy who bought it, do you think he would give half to whoever he got it from? Obviously, he didn't put the money in it, so it had to come from somewhere.

Well THAT's actually an interesting point that I hadn't considered.

He didn't say that HE put the money in the safe at all.

Safes are not really that hard to open. I know from experience and time spent ...

thomps: are we talking about the idiot that sold the safe full of money or the idiot that found the money and told the seller about it?

Not only that, now the buyer has made a huge amount of noise about that money. That is the sort of thing that if you were to come across it, you just quietly and calmly keep it to yourself. Taxes, relatives, friends, whatever, you're better off just quietly using that money for emergencies, or groceries, etc. and at the same time sit on the money you had in checking and get it invested over time. But no, this way is much better. Rub the seller's face in it, make sure everyone knows how awesome you are. I have no doubt the guy in Bartlett will spend it as stupidly as possible.

Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

Something can be life altering without being profound. For instance that's more than enough to pay off my car loan. That alters life (a couple extra hundred bucks a month can be used in many ways)

I have a safe that's locked and I don't have the combination.

I'm certain it's empty but after reading the story, I'm doubting myself.

The safe company wants $1,200 to drill it open but they would come and take it away for free.

It's been sitting in my tenant's office for years being used as a table.

A+++
Will buy from again!

The idiot provides a vital psycho-social service to eBay.

Now when the IRS comes knocking, along with the ATF, and confiscate the $18k, trying to ensure that the money isn't drug money, and then put the $10k in another safe for the required amount of time for the real owner to claim the $7k...

susler: I have a safe that's locked and I don't have the combination.

I'm certain it's empty but after reading the story, I'm doubting myself.

The safe company wants $1,200 to drill it open but they would come and take it away for free.

It's been sitting in my tenant's office for years being used as a table.

Get a grinder. It will take some time, but you'll get it open.

So close. God, I can't win anything.

basemetal: If there's one thing I've learned from Storage Wars, is that you have to open that damn safe.

/of course it doesn't always have anything in it.

Yuuup!

This is a case of KEEP YOUR FARKING MOUTH SHUT. IDIOT!

Even though the seller is being kind of a dick about the money (half? Are you nuts?), I would have thrown the guy either 500 or 1k.

Tell him to have a fun night with friends and use it to cover the tab, or to put it toward a new cell phone model or something. 25k is still an awesome little chunk of money to play with or invest.

Leaving a review rubbing it in his face was awesome, though :)

jagec: susler: I have a safe that's locked and I don't have the combination.

I'm certain it's empty but after reading the story, I'm doubting myself.

The safe company wants $1,200 to drill it open but they would come and take it away for free.

It's been sitting in my tenant's office for years being used as a table.

Get a grinder. It will take some time, but you'll get it open.

Really, it looks daunting. It's about 2 and a half to 3 feet on each side.
Where would I start grinding? Through the lock, next to the lock? I guess I should google "safe cracking"

I bet the smaller safe inside was the hard one to crack though.

Grables'Daughter: labman: If he did get any money from the guy who bought it, do you think he would give half to whoever he got it from? Obviously, he didn't put the money in it, so it had to come from somewhere.

Well THAT's actually an interesting point that I hadn't considered.

He didn't say that HE put the money in the safe at all.

"just another item to turn around."

Definitely looks like he bought it from someone else and flipped it.

How did the seller know there was $26k in the safe? If you find $26k in a safe you bought on ebay and the seller doesn't immediately contact you to alert you of "a mistake," shut your damned mouth and enjoy your new safe.

A 10% cut to the seller would not be painful, nor would it tempt karma. Give the bastard 10% and if he isn't happy with that, than fark him....

susler: I have a safe that's locked and I don't have the combination.

I'm certain it's empty but after reading the story, I'm doubting myself.

The safe company wants $1,200 to drill it open but they would come and take it away for free.

It's been sitting in my tenant's office for years being used as a table.

I'll bust that sucker for 1/4 of it's contents if you're close enough. And safe cracking is best done in front of an air conditioner at 4am.

Arcturus72: Now when the IRS comes knocking, along with the ATF, and confiscate the $18k, trying to ensure that the money isn't drug money, and then put the $10k in another safe for the required amount of time for the real owner to claim the $7k...

What does happen in this case? It's wasn't really "found" money, it was undervalued and purchased. But since it's money, is it then considered income?

susler: Really, it looks daunting. It's about 2 and a half to 3 feet on each side.
Where would I start grinding? Through the lock, next to the lock? I guess I should google "safe cracking"

Some guys broke into a house and used the computer to look up instructions to break into the safe in the house. Try searching the model number and such.

Do the seller have real proof that the buyer really did find $26K

The seller's terms were "What you see is what you get, no returns, and no money back." Why is he complaining? That's exactly what he's getting - "no money back".

life altering money lmao

Three Crooked Squirrels: HEY! That's my safe! I accidentally gave it to Goodwill!

Also, if I made side-income off re-selling things off e-bay, and I came across a big-assed locked safe in some yard sale or estate sale or or Goodwill or however this guy came across it, there is no way my curiosity would let me sell it for $122 rather than bust that farker open.

Seriously, I could forego $120 on the off chance the safe could have something good, knowing full well it may just be full of some guys old school porn and a will or such. Hell, the guy resells shiat he didn't think there could be some stuff in there to resell?

Would finders keepers, losers weepers hold up in court?
Pal, you were a dick about your terms of what you see is what you get, pound sand.
If I bought the safe, never would have said a word about it.
Both are morons.

basemetal: If there's one thing I've learned from Storage Wars, is that you have to open that damn safe.

/of course it doesn't always have anything in it.

Lone Stranger: susler: I have a safe that's locked and I don't have the combination.

I'm certain it's empty but after reading the story, I'm doubting myself.

The safe company wants $1,200 to drill it open but they would come and take it away for free.

It's been sitting in my tenant's office for years being used as a table.

I'll bust that sucker for 1/4 of it's contents if you're close enough. And safe cracking is best done in front of an air conditioner at 4am.

I second this.. Are you in California?

Sounds like a good time to buy some cheap safes and sell them on ebay without the combination.

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

Ha, my thoughts exactly. I'm not rich by any means, but I don't consider the retail price of a new Toyota Camry to be "life altering money." No wonder the moran is.grovelling for a cut.

Ya no shiat. $25k is "Well I guess I could remodel my kitchen now," money. Don't get me wrong, I'd take that kind of money in a second, hell I'd take $100, but it wouldn't change my life or anything.

Somebody need to find the ebay user that sold the safe and the "I found 26,000$$ in the safe!!!! A++++++" feedback.

jingks: Sounds like a good time to buy some cheap safes and sell them on ebay without the combination.

I like your style

jpo2269: How did the seller know there was $26k in the safe? If you find $26k in a safe you bought on ebay and the seller doesn't immediately contact you to alert you of "a mistake," shut your damned mouth and enjoy your new safe.

this

runner_one: Are you in California?

Texas.

And I used the cut and peel brute force method back in the old days. You'd be surprised how light a large safe full of cash is if you want to open it in private and have to carry it away.


/I was a bad boy
//I got better

Well, now this is getting interesting. I wanna know what's in that safe, susler.

WHY WHY WHY would you say something to the seller? Keep your damn mouth shut and enjoy the money!

jingks:

What does happen in this case? It's wasn't really "found" money, it was undervalued and purchased. But since it's money, is it then considered income?

It is income. The question is: is it taxable income? This is probably a grey area. The IRS and state revenue agency will want it to be taxable income. I think a good argument could be that it is gift income. After all, the buyer wasn't out to 'earn' this money, just to buy a safe. As I said, it is a grey area, but ...

He's lucky the cutting torch used to open the safe didn't burn all the money up.

Honest Bender: Is the stupidest idiot the guy who cut open the safe with a torch? Because I'm astounded that they didn't incinerate the money in the process...

Any competent welder could cut a safe like that open without burning things inside.

Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.


I know, and given his somewhat low intelligence in not checking the inside of the safe before sale, I think he's a good candidate to be a Nascar driver.

$26K would more than get me out of debt. I would definitely consider that life-altering. Hell, that's not much less than I make in a year.

Some of y'all have deep pockets, NTTAWWT.

Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

It's more money than I make in a year, douchenozzle.

Lone Stranger: Safes are not really that hard to open. I know from experience and time spent ...



Shh, don't tell.

What proof is there that there was any money in there?

What if this situation happened and the money is counterfeit? Buyer goes and spends it unknowingly and gets arrested. "I got it off ebay" isn't going to be a good excuse. Could the seller also get in trouble for selling counterfeit money? "I didn't know it was there" isn't going to be a good excuse either.

This money came from somewhere and belongs to someone...

susler: I guess I should google "safe cracking"

Do it. I ran across a detailed PDF on safe-cracking a couple of years back. It was fascinating, and it actually doesn't sound all that difficult. I'd love to give it a crack.

susler: jagec: susler: I have a safe that's locked and I don't have the combination.

I'm certain it's empty but after reading the story, I'm doubting myself.

The safe company wants $1,200 to drill it open but they would come and take it away for free.

It's been sitting in my tenant's office for years being used as a table.

Get a grinder. It will take some time, but you'll get it open.

Really, it looks daunting. It's about 2 and a half to 3 feet on each side.
Where would I start grinding? Through the lock, next to the lock? I guess I should google "safe cracking"

Dude, also check out some of the old MIT documents out there relating to safe cracking.

If you're not afraid to damage the safe, it's not quite as bad as it usually appears (though the better GSA-rated safes can be a PITA).

And if the safe contained nothing? Would he have refunded half the price of the safe and the cost for the welder to open it?

BS. You sold the safe as a safe, the buyer bought the safe as an item to open to see what's inside. He won. You lost. He took an expensive gamble, and won. If you weren't so cheap, you would be the one bragging about finding $26k in a safe.

Anybody want to take bets that the safe was empty, and the buyer just wasn't happy with it, and decided to piss the seller off by pretending he struck it rich?

Would. Not. Be. Surprised.

Although maybe the reason the TV station couldn't contact him is tax. IANAL and I don't know what exactly would the rules about buying $26k in cash for $123, but I'm pretty sure Uncle Sam would want and expect his cut.

thomps: are we talking about the idiot that sold the safe full of money or the idiot that found the money and told the seller about it?

Yes.

I'm in NYC and I'll give 1/4 to anyone who wants to open it but there are a few caveats. You need to know how I came to be in possession of it which will explain why I'm certain that it's empty and it's sitting in a lawyer's office next to his desk; it would have to be opened in such a manner that wouldn't mess up his office nor preclude a safe company from removing it for free as opposed to charging.

Still interested, here's the story.

We have two extra offices which we rent out. The tenant prior to the lawyer was a guy who was a wholesale jeweler. He had the safe installed to begin with. He was a fine tenant for over a year and one day we came in and noticed his office door was open. He had cleared out overnight and left furniture and the safe.

A couple of days later, people started showing up looking for the guy; some of whom looked pretty unsavory. The cops showed up once. We kept explaining that we had nothing to do with the guy, just rented him the office. Eventually people stopped coming; we re-rented the office and the lawyer who took it decided to keep it.

This is why I'm sure it's empty. The guy cleaned out his desk, took all his papers and files and even his chair. Left only a desk, a table and the safe.

There is no reason to believe that he would have left anything in it. He just screwed us by not leaving the combination.

If anyone is still interested, let me know and I'll unhide my email for a while to give you a chance to get it.

Birnone: What proof is there that there was any money in there?

Yeah, my gut feeling tells me there was nothing of value in there and the buyer is just farking with the guy who sold it.

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Wayne 985: Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

It's more money than I make in a year, douchenozzle.

You might wanna keep that to yourself... Seriously, 26k is very little in 2012.


So poor people should be ashamed?

And, uh, I think the worth of 26K VERY MUCH depends on personal circumstances. I think there are more than a few people in the world who'd leap at the chance for 26K (myself included).

Diogenes Teufelsdrockh: Shh, don't tell.

It was a done deal in the 80's and I stopped.


/snitches should have got stitches

susler:

Yep, it's empty.

Wayne 985: Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

It's more money than I make in a year, douchenozzle.

I'd ask if you live in a van by the river, but you don't make enough to live in a van by the river. Maybe under a bridge by the river, but not in a van by the river.

BigJake: jingks: Sounds like a good time to buy some cheap safes and sell them on ebay without the combination.

I like your style

A++++++++++++++++++++++

Some guys pays $100 for a safe and takes it straight to a welder to cut in hopes that something is in it? I'll bet he owns a dvd of Geronimo Riviera opening Al Capon ---- wait wait wait ---- What's a good way to launder $26K? Hmmmm.

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Desmo: He's lucky the cutting torch used to open the safe didn't burn all the money up.

This is the second comment in the thread about this... You really.have no idea how cutting torches.work, do you?
Hint: its not like the movies...

why does that not catch shiat on fire? I've used a grinder to cut through thick steel tubing and also chain and caught shiat on fire that was 8 inches away from what I was grinding off.
how could basting a hole in steel with a torch not set flammable stuff behind it on fire?

In other news, it's now a seller's market for used safes on ebay.

chewielouie: BigJake: jingks: Sounds like a good time to buy some cheap safes and sell them on ebay without the combination.

I like your style

A++++++++++++++++++++++


Goddamnit.

Lone Stranger: susler:

Yep, it's empty.

Are you kidding? That's a great story. It's obviously got the jewels in it that he didn't want the unsavory characters to get. He would have come back for it, but he was betrayed by a beautiful woman who thought she'd get her hands on the jewels, but the joke was on her - they already booby-trapped the guy's car with a bomb, and after she killed him, she tried to make her getaway in his car. They're both gone, the bad guys are otherwise preoccupied, and the royal inheritance of Nambibia is probably just sitting in that damn safe!

I'd call a private eye, preferably a really cool one with his own TV show.


/$21

Jimmysolson: Birnone: What proof is there that there was any money in there?

Yeah, my gut feeling tells me there was nothing of value in there and the buyer is just farking with the guy who sold it.

Pretty awesome trolling if there wasn't.

relcec: Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Desmo: He's lucky the cutting torch used to open the safe didn't burn all the money up.

This is the second comment in the thread about this... You really.have no idea how cutting torches.work, do you?
Hint: its not like the movies...

why does that not catch shiat on fire? I've used a grinder to cut through thick steel tubing and also chain and caught shiat on fire that was 8 inches away from what I was grinding off.
how could basting a hole in steel with a torch not set flammable stuff behind it on fire?


In the first place, I'd guess the flame of the torch eats up what little oxygen is in the safe to begin with.

The median annual wage in the United States is just a hair over $26,000. Look down on people who make less than that if see fit, but accept that it does kind of make you an elitist dick.

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: relcec: Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Desmo: He's lucky the cutting torch used to open the safe didn't burn all the money up.

This is the second comment in the thread about this... You really.have no idea how cutting torches.work, do you?
Hint: its not like the movies...

why does that not catch shiat on fire? I've used a grinder to cut through thick steel tubing and also chain and caught shiat on fire that was 8 inches away from what I was grinding off.
how could basting a hole in steel with a torch not set flammable stuff behind it on fire?

Don't think of it as "cutting" with sparks flying and everything, think of it as melting the bolt by applying heat to the external surface. Depending on the thickness of the casing, no heat or flame may even breached the interior.

ok. I was picturing like a big old plasma cutter with the sparks shooting like 8 inches out the backside. makes sense.

In a contentious e-mail chain Labrecque provided to Action News 5, he asked for a cut of the cash. The buyer declined, citing Labrecque's seller policy that states, "What you see is what you get, no returns, and no money back."

Labrecque said this is different.

Uh, no. It's not. You clearly said "no returns, and no money back". You lose.

Good DAY, Sir!

For sure $26000 wouldn't be life changing for some people. For me it would more than pay off the balance on my mortgage and doing the work myself, I'd be able to make some repairs/improvements around here.

rich_mitch: The median annual wage in the United States is just a hair over $26,000. Look down on people who make less than that if see fit, but accept that it does kind of make you an elitist dick.

Really? All the info I can find does not support that comment.

BGates: rich_mitch: The median annual wage in the United States is just a hair over $26,000. Look down on people who make less than that if see fit, but accept that it does kind of make you an elitist dick.

Really? All the info I can find does not support that comment.

true.

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: You might wanna keep that to yourself... Seriously, 26k is very little in 2012.

Yes, it is. And it's actually very close to my yearly income.

I'm a grad student, so of course I don't make very much. But it's nothing that I worry about telling people.

It's actually enough that I live reasonably comfortably, though not exactly extravagantly. And I've still managed to sock away the maximum roth IRA contribution for the last couple years. I don't live in the most expensive places in the country, but nor am I in the cheapest by any stretch. (I do live alone, so I don't have any spouse or kids to support. I don't split rent though, so that eats up a fairly large chunk of my take-home pay. Maybe 40%?)

Anyway, point being, I'm not sure I would describe $26K as life changing, but I would describe it as a hell of a lot of money compared to what I usually have available.

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Wayne 985: Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

It's more money than I make in a year, douchenozzle.

You might wanna keep that to yourself... Seriously, 26k is very little in 2012.

I'm not ashamed. I'm not happy with it and I'm currently looking for better work, but I'm not ashamed.

I work hard and make what I can in a tough economic climate, in a relatively poor area. The unemployment rate in my part of the country is over 12% and the wages are below average, so I'm grateful for what I have.

The dummy who sold a safe full of money does not deserve any of it back.

The dummy who advertised to the world that he stumbled upon 26K will be fortunate if he isn't the victim of his own stupidity. STFU dude.

susler: I have a safe that's locked and I don't have the combination.

I'm certain it's empty but after reading the story, I'm doubting myself.

The safe company wants $1,200 to drill it open but they would come and take it away for free.

It's been sitting in my tenant's office for years being used as a table.


Buy yourself a 5 foot crowbar and pry that sucker open.

Using a prybar on a safe (new window)

/slashies want their cut of whatever is inside

Wayne 985: Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Wayne 985: Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

It's more money than I make in a year, douchenozzle.

You might wanna keep that to yourself... Seriously, 26k is very little in 2012.

I'm not ashamed. I'm not happy with it and I'm currently looking for better work, but I'm not ashamed.

I work hard and make what I can in a tough economic climate, in a relatively poor area. The unemployment rate in my part of the country is over 12% and the wages are below average, so I'm grateful for what I have.

You need an oilfield job.

BGates: rich_mitch: The median annual wage in the United States is just a hair over $26,000. Look down on people who make less than that if see fit, but accept that it does kind of make you an elitist dick.

Really? All the info I can find does not support that comment.


The figures I've heard the past few years for median household income for a family of four hovers around $40-50k, so $26k for an individual income seems like about the right ballpark. And it's definitely a tight squeeze money-wise, but there are a LOT of people making that or even less.

It is pretty dickish to be all "loser!!!!" about it.

And even if someone scrapes in over the six-figure line, that's still 25% of their pre-tax income. Three months salary just handed to you. I hardly think they'd scoff at that.

buzzcut73: Wolf_Cub: jingks:

What does happen in this case? It's wasn't really "found" money, it was undervalued and purchased. But since it's money, is it then considered income?

It is income. The question is: is it taxable income? This is probably a grey area. The IRS and state revenue agency will want it to be taxable income. I think a good argument could be that it is gift income. After all, the buyer wasn't out to 'earn' this money, just to buy a safe. As I said, it is a grey area, but ...

This is where the keeping quiet an enjoying your new safe also helps. You don't have to worry about any grey areas that way.

Some people just aren't smart enough to keep their fool mouths shut. He could have two agencies coming after him now. 1) IRS. 2) Cops. You're supposed to report found money to the cops so the rightful owner can file a claim. And the IRS is going to want income tax. And the IRS may come after him even if the cops take the money and he never gets it back.

technicolor-misfit: And even if someone scrapes in over the six-figure line, that's still 25% of their pre-tax income. Three months salary just handed to you. I hardly think they'd scoff at that.

It really depends if this money is considered taxable income (which I think it is, as gambling income is). The government will take 30% off the top of that. So if it's spent now without paying ole Uncle Sam, it's gonna be a real hardship come April 15th.

CSB:

Years ago I bought something on eBay for maybe $20 or $30. When the package arrived, the seller had mixed up the labels on two shipments, and I ended up getting a cash register instead. Powered it up, opened the drawer and inside was sixty-some bucks and some decade-old checks.

Kept the money, tossed the checks, e-mailed the seller to ask what he wanted to do. Never heard from him, so I got rid of the cash register too. I don't remember if I was annoyed that I never got what I actually bought.

/CSB

Special extra bonus CSB: I just watched an episode of Auction Hunters where they bought a unit that contained a safe, and had a guy with a torch cut it open. They burnt whatever paper was inside it to a crisp, but salvaged a pistol.

Diogenes Teufelsdrockh: Lone Stranger: Safes are not really that hard to open. I know from experience and time spent ...

[astroatom.files.wordpress.com image 269x312]

Shh, don't tell.

Came looking for the Richard Feynman reference leaving satisfied.

Fake.
Nothing about this adds up.

How did the media find out about this? Because the guy called them up with a story.

You know, if he'd just not been a prick about it he could have turned the publicity into some profit. He should have scrounged up some more safes to sell and made a point of the fact he has no idea what is in them. He could have used it to get some good publicity to sell more mystery safes. Instead, well, he seems like a prick and his user satisfaction will take a big hit.

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Ha, my thoughts exactly. I'm not rich by any means, but I don't consider the retail price of a new Toyota Camry to be "life altering money."

Heck, I earned an extra $20k last year in overtime hours and I don't feel like my live has been altered.

/you don't have to pay medicare on found money, right?

Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

Shmm hm frmmm mm crmmm!

Heck, I earned an extra $20k last year in overtime hours and I don't feel like my live has been altered.

You don't think that having all that time you spent working back would make any difference in your life?

I'd call 26K life altering - It is more than 6 months salary at a shot. I could pay off my roof repairs, replace my windows, and actually have an emergency fund for the first time in a decade. Or maybe take some time off work and finish that MSE.

If you cant think of a way to alter your life with $26K you aren't thinking very creatively.

Wait until the IRS gets a link to this news story!

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Ha, my thoughts exactly. I'm not rich by any means, but I don't consider the retail price of a new Toyota Camry to be "life altering money."

Depends what you spend it on.
Fly to Bangkok and live there for a year. You can do that with 26k.
Then tell me your life hasn't altered.

/if not your sex

El Morro: Even though the seller is being kind of a dick about the money (half? Are you nuts?), I would have thrown the guy either 500 or 1k.

Tell him to have a fun night with friends and use it to cover the tab, or to put it toward a new cell phone model or something. 25k is still an awesome little chunk of money to play with or invest.

Leaving a review rubbing it in his face was awesome, though :)

I agree. I would have given the guy 1k.

Seller is an idiot. I don't mean because of the money. He's just classless

JoeJitsu: The seller's terms were "What you see is what you get, no returns, and no money back." Why is he complaining? That's exactly what he's getting - "no money back".

See, the terms say, what you SEE is what you get. Clearly, the money could not be seen, and therefore should not be interpreted as part of the sale.

1. The price of the safe is $120. Shipping is $80. So, the actual price is around $200.

2. Who buys locked safes for $200? What do you do if they're empty?

Buyer: DUMBASS
Seller: DUMBASS (for bragging about the find)

jpo2269: How did the seller know there was $26k in the safe? If you find $26k in a safe you bought on ebay and the seller doesn't immediately contact you to alert you of "a mistake," shut your damned mouth and enjoy your new safe.

A 10% cut to the seller would not be painful, nor would it tempt karma. Give the bastard 10% and if he isn't happy with that, than fark him....

I'd say, reimburse him the price you paid for the safe, that's it, then the guy makes double his profit (depending on what he paid for it in the first place).

Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

26k is slightly more than a year's take-home pay for me.

Getting that much all at once would be pretty life-altering.

Lachwen: Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

26k is slightly more than a year's take-home pay for me.

Getting that much all at once would be pretty life-altering.

No, wait. I never actually did the math with all those little boxes on my W-2. My take-home pay for last year was juuuuust over 17k. So 26k would be almost a year-and-a-half's pay for me. And if I remember correctly, found money isn't taxed.

Life-altering? Hell yes it would be.

/and I've never considered myself "very poor"

basemetal: If there's one thing I've learned from Storage Wars, is that you have to open that damn safe.

/of course it doesn't always have anything in it.

even if 1% contains stuff like this then the average value to you is $260. Even half a percent makes a sale for $122 stupid.

Lachwen: Lachwen: Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

26k is slightly more than a year's take-home pay for me.

Getting that much all at once would be pretty life-altering.

No, wait. I never actually did the math with all those little boxes on my W-2. My take-home pay for last year was juuuuust over 17k. So 26k would be almost a year-and-a-half's pay for me. And if I remember correctly, found money isn't taxed.

Life-altering? Hell yes it would be.

/and I've never considered myself "very poor"

the more you have, the more it takes to satisfy you. why else would there be people worth hundreds of millions who never stop trying to shovel even more money into their own pockets?

/both guys in TFA are idiots, but the buyer sounds like the extra-special type of stupid that winds up destitute four years after hitting the Powerball jackpot

To all of you. Keep your goddamned mouth shut. Otherwise you deserve to have the money confiscated under some obscure law you were unaware of until after you opened you stupid goddamned mouth about it. The seller got what he asked for, he deserves nothing more than his ebay fee. Do he make ONE mention of the people he got the safe from? No, so fark him.

thomps: are we talking about the idiot that sold the safe full of money or the idiot that found the money and told the seller about it?

THANK YOUUUUUUUU.

Maybe he should try digging for that sacred "glory hole"

/obscure?
//it wouldn't be if you watch The Soup!

drjekel_mrhyde: Do the seller have real proof that the buyer really did find $26K

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&has h =item1c2358a248&item=120852095560&nma=true&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&rt=nc &si=DNFW6dJcr1DC8%252FaTHt3u%252BeaURMc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_4 669wt_1133

Seller's feedback the buyer says they found 6000 dollars. NOT 26000 dollars. Interesting.

This story is either a masterful troll or a tale of two classless morans who couldn't keep their mouths shut. Either way it's lulzy.

Geraldo Rivera should have been this lucky.

NotARocketScientist: You don't think that having all that time you spent working back would make any difference in your life?


In the cases where I stayed later at work, I basically had the option of leaving work at my regular time, and then sitting in traffic. Or doing extra work while I waited for traffic to die down (Essentially, leave now, and take 1.5 hours to get home, or work an extra hour, then take 30 minutes to get home).

In the cases where I worked extra time from home. I was waiting for scripts to run, or data to load from a database, or for someone else to finish their upgrade tasks. Meanwhile, I was also watching a movie, surfing Fark, doing laundry, and probably had something baking in the oven as well.

/believe me, if I had anything else going on at that time, I wouldn't have been working.

I'd call 26K life altering - It is more than 6 months salary at a shot. I could pay off my roof repairs, replace my windows, and actually have an emergency fund for the first time in a decade. Or maybe take some time off work and finish that MSE.

If you cant think of a way to alter your life with $26K you aren't thinking very creatively.

It's all a matter of perspective.

I grew up in a poor household, so didn't acquire any real wasteful habits, no fancy watches, no binging car, no overpriced designer clothing (people pay $100+ for "distressed" jeans? WTF!), etc, as a result of that, my income is completely out of alignment with my expenditures. Throwing an extra 26k at me isn't going to change anything in the short term. All that would happen is that some numbers would get bigger in my bank account, but the number would still be lower than what I need to execute my next big plan.

You're thinking of roof repairs and window replacements, I'm looking at selling or renting out my condo, and buying a house. An extra 26k just accelerates my plan by a few months. To make a significant change in my life, I need at least six figures to fall into my lap.

/I'm working this extra OT because I'm saving up for said house.

/26k is a few months worth of income to me.

/I'm sure that someone earning a million per year would look at the $100,000+ I say would change my life, and say it wouldn't affect them.

The buyer is an IDIOT for telling the seller about this find.

If you have good fortune, shut your farking mouth about it.

If i bought a locked safe on the internet I would also tell the seller I found money in it.

Alternatively, you can keep your $26k if you can make real estate prices go down a bit more.

A drop in real estate prices would also drop the potential property taxes on a new house, and that IS life altering.

/2-3 more years of OT and it's time to go house shopping :D

angelwolf65: El Morro: Even though the seller is being kind of a dick about the money (half? Are you nuts?), I would have thrown the guy either 500 or 1k.

Tell him to have a fun night with friends and use it to cover the tab, or to put it toward a new cell phone model or something. 25k is still an awesome little chunk of money to play with or invest.

Leaving a review rubbing it in his face was awesome, though :)

I agree. I would have given the guy 1k.

this is one of many threads where people claim they would give the seller a sum of money... why?? why is the seller entitled to anything? the ONLY way I would come off of anything is if the seller put me in touch with whom he bought it from and I was shown some sort of proof (or at least very convincing evidence) that the cash was originally theirs and left in the safe by mistske. if the seller doesnt even attempt that angle, the only thing I would do is point and laugh at him. In all reality, the safe was probably picked up at an estate sale sold by people who were selling many other things and the person who it belonged to is dead. Nobody FORGETS there is cash left in a big box made for keeping valuables in.
In other words, the more I thought about what to do if I found money in a safe I bought from a whiny Ebay seller who didnt know it was in there to begin with because he is lazy and just trying to flip an item he bought, the mote I lean towards how I would enjoy the money myself.

The last thing I would do immediately is tell him I found the money. Its okay to have a conscience but dont be a dumbass about it.

rich_mitch: The median annual wage in the United States is just a hair over $26,000. Look down on people who make less than that if see fit, but accept that it does kind of make you an elitist dick.

While you are technically correct, I understand all the people saying its nothing. Both of you are right, while it can change your immediate situation and is greatly appreciated that amount is in no way life changing for a lot of people, if you are poor you will just blow the money, if you are well off then you will just take a nicer vacation or improve your home a bit, if you are rich then $26K is pocket change.

And if you doubt the poor will blow it then I have this story, a buddy of my dads won $9K in the georgia lottery, this person has never made more than $10/hour in their life so what do they do? Do they spend it for an average car to find better work? Schooling? or do they throw a huge party for all their friends then use whats left to put a down payment on a mustang which they lose later for non-payment?

If you choose anything but the last option then you are wrong.

The buyer is right that he has no obligation to the seller. The seller is right that it would be the decent thing to do. That's really all there is to this story.

The choices we make define who we are, and acts of kindness and generosity that are not required of us are the only ones we can be certain are sincere; it's those kinds of decisions that separate us from lower animals. I'm not sure I'd agree that this is a 'life-changing' amount of money, in that $13K or even $26K doesn't go as far as it used to. But it's still a lot, and would make a real difference for most people. The buyer almost certainly had no reason to expect the safe to contain a bunch of money, though it's worth asking why he had it cut open after buying it, since that would ruin it. It's a fair wager that he *hoped* it would contain something, and bought it in the hope, with no other intent, a lot like a storage unit auction bidder. If so, he got a great reward for his wager, far more than he should have hoped for. A typical safe like this is most often used for daily cash receipts in small businesses, and at most might contain a few thousand dollars; $26K is quite a windfall compared to even the most optimistic expectations, quite a windfall. His original wager, if it was one, would have been based on much lower expectations, and probably even a willingness to lose his investment and find nothing. So it would be a very decent thing for him to share the winnings with the fellow who made it possible. It comes across as just a bit mean not to.

poe_zlaw: The last thing I would do immediately is tell him I found the money. Its okay to have a conscience but dont be a dumbass about it.

That's the one detail that rubs me, too. Boasting about it what he's not going to share is more than a little dickish.

Obam won another award? Atleast this one is deserved, unlike the Nobal Prize.

No, i cant spell
what award can i win for that?

Sylvia_Bandersnatch: It comes across as just a bit mean not to.

I am wondering if they buyer or someone else has a history with this guy and is why they arent sharing shiat with him, or maybe he has a ton of negative shiat on his ebay and treats people who buy from him like shiat?

I would probably kick the guy a grand but to demand half after he couldnt be bothered to open the safe? F*ck him.

/No backsies!

Wolf_Cub: jingks:

What does happen in this case? It's wasn't really "found" money, it was undervalued and purchased. But since it's money, is it then considered income?

It is income. The question is: is it taxable income? This is probably a grey area. The IRS and state revenue agency will want it to be taxable income. I think a good argument could be that it is gift income. After all, the buyer wasn't out to 'earn' this money, just to buy a safe. As I said, it is a grey area, but ...

It is very likely taxable in the view IRS. "All income, from whatever source derived." Since the seller wants some of it back, there's probably no way you'd be able to call it a gift.

rich_mitch: The median annual wage in the United States is just a hair over $26,000. Look down on people who make less than that if see fit, but accept that it does kind of make you an elitist dick.

I can't believe no one commented on your Fark handle in relation to that post.

poe_zlaw: angelwolf65: El Morro: Even though the seller is being kind of a dick about the money (half? Are you nuts?), I would have thrown the guy either 500 or 1k.

Tell him to have a fun night with friends and use it to cover the tab, or to put it toward a new cell phone model or something. 25k is still an awesome little chunk of money to play with or invest.

Leaving a review rubbing it in his face was awesome, though :)

I agree. I would have given the guy 1k.

this is one of many threads where people claim they would give the seller a sum of money... why?? why is the seller entitled to anything? the ONLY way I would come off of anything is if the seller put me in touch with whom he bought it from and I was shown some sort of proof (or at least very convincing evidence) that the cash was originally theirs and left in the safe by mistske. if the seller doesnt even attempt that angle, the only thing I would do is point and laugh at him. In all reality, the safe was probably picked up at an estate sale sold by people who were selling many other things and the person who it belonged to is dead. Nobody FORGETS there is cash left in a big box made for keeping valuables in.
In other words, the more I thought about what to do if I found money in a safe I bought from a whiny Ebay seller who didnt know it was in there to begin with because he is lazy and just trying to flip an item he bought, the mote I lean towards how I would enjoy the money myself.

The last thing I would do immediately is tell him I found the money. Its okay to have a conscience but dont be a dumbass about it.

I guess I'm too nice a guy. LOL. Seriously, I agree though, if the seller had no clue what was inside the safe to begin with, why mention it? That in and of itself seems like a dickish move by the buyer. The seller is also being dick by demanding a cut of the find.

Sylvia_Bandersnatch: The buyer is right that he has no obligation to the seller. The seller is right that it would be the decent thing to do... It comes across as just a bit mean not to.


I disagree. It would be an incredibly nice thing to do, but I think there is no moral or social duty being failed by the buyer. It in no way reflects poorly on him to not share the loot in my opinion.

I view this as akin to winning a big chunk of change at poker. The most that could be expected of you is to buy the loser a drink or two... and that's when you're taking it right out of his pocket, and often friends.

Grown men make wagers and they're expected to stand by them and not whine or cry when they don't go as planned. The seller wagered there was nothing in the safe. They buyer wagered there might be. The buyer chose the longshot. The seller chose the sure thing. The buyer risked his money. The seller took the safe route. Now, after foregoing the risk and letting the buyer shoulder it all, after making sure that he was getting something while the buyer risked being down a couple hundred, now he wants to share in the winnings and feels the buyer (a complete stranger) ought to make that happen for him out of some sense of decency or shared risk? Nope.


It would absolutely be magnanimous of the buyer to kick him a grand or two, but it does not reflect poorly on him in anyway that he does not.

This is like saying a couple of strangers are talking at a bar, and one says "I heard about a stock that's about to go through the roof." And the other guy says "what is it?" And the first guy says "well, if you want to know give me $200." And the second guy pays up and says "what the hell? How much are you putting into it" The first guy says "psshhhtt, I'm no chump. I just overheard that from a couple of drunks in the restroom. I already made my money. Heh-heh."

...and then expecting the second guy to cut him in when it pays off big. He had his chance. He chose the easy money.

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom: Desmo: He's lucky the cutting torch used to open the safe didn't burn all the money up.

This is the second comment in the thread about this... You really.have no idea how cutting torches.work, do you?
Hint: its not like the movies...

They don't blow the bloody doors off?

The guy who opened his mouth about the money isn't too smart either. It's always better to shut up regarding found money.

technicolor-misfit: Sylvia_Bandersnatch: The buyer is right that he has no obligation to the seller. The seller is right that it would be the decent thing to do... It comes across as just a bit mean not to.


I disagree. It would be an incredibly nice thing to do, but I think there is no moral or social duty being failed by the buyer. It in no way reflects poorly on him to not share the loot in my opinion.

I view this as akin to winning a big chunk of change at poker. The most that could be expected of you is to buy the loser a drink or two... and that's when you're taking it right out of his pocket, and often friends.

Grown men make wagers and they're expected to stand by them and not whine or cry when they don't go as planned. The seller wagered there was nothing in the safe. They buyer wagered there might be. The buyer chose the longshot. The seller chose the sure thing. The buyer risked his money. The seller took the safe route. Now, after foregoing the risk and letting the buyer shoulder it all, after making sure that he was getting something while the buyer risked being down a couple hundred, now he wants to share in the winnings and feels the buyer (a complete stranger) ought to make that happen for him out of some sense of decency or shared risk? Nope.


It would absolutely be magnanimous of the buyer to kick him a grand or two, but it does not reflect poorly on him in anyway that he does not.

This is like saying a couple of strangers are talking at a bar, and one says "I heard about a stock that's about to go through the roof." And the other guy says "what is it?" And the first guy says "well, if you want to know give me $200." And the second guy pays up and says "what the hell? How much are you putting into it" The first guy says "psshhhtt, I'm no chump. I just overheard that from a couple of drunks in the restroom. I already made my money. Heh-heh."

...and then expecting the second guy to cut him in when it pays off big. He had his chance. He chose the easy money.

It's the bragging, more than anything else, that suggests a touch of douchery.

Considering the higher cost of living just for breathing the air in California, even 26K wouldn't last as long there as it would in places like, say, Omaha.

Loucifer: If 26k is life altering money, then you are very poor, Kenny.

That is enough capital to launch a business capable of supporting your family. The number of plebes that ever get that liquid in America is surprisingly small. There are huge numbers that live paycheck to paycheck.

I have a hunch this guy would alter his life with strippers and coke, though, rather than investments.

jingks: Sounds like a good time to buy some cheap safes and sell them on ebay without the combination.

Now you're thinking.

I'd do business with you, anytime...

From http://irs.gov
Found property. If you find and keep property that does not belong to you that has been lost or abandoned (treasure-trove), it is taxable to you at its fair market value in the first year it is your undisputed possession.

Rent Party: jingks: Sounds like a good time to buy some cheap safes and sell them on ebay without the combination.

Now you're thinking.

I'd do business with you, anytime...

Oh you've got to put something in them.

A jar of peanut butter, an old sock filled with marbles.. some fruit... or
just fart into it and slam the door.

use your imagination.

steamingpile: rich_mitch: The median annual wage in the United States is just a hair over $26,000. Look down on people who make less than that if see fit, but accept that it does kind of make you an elitist dick.

While you are technically correct, I understand all the people saying its nothing. Both of you are right, while it can change your immediate situation and is greatly appreciated that amount is in no way life changing for a lot of people, if you are poor you will just blow the money, if you are well off then you will just take a nicer vacation or improve your home a bit, if you are rich then $26K is pocket change.

And if you doubt the poor will blow it then I have this story, a buddy of my dads won $9K in the georgia lottery, this person has never made more than $10/hour in their life so what do they do? Do they spend it for an average car to find better work? Schooling? or do they throw a huge party for all their friends then use whats left to put a down payment on a mustang which they lose later for non-payment?

If you choose anything but the last option then you are wrong.

Yes, no doubt there are many poor people out there who would blow the money. However, just because one guy your dad knows didn't manage his money wisely does not mean that ALL poor people would blow a windfall like that.

If I were to come into that kind of money, first I would pay off my credit card. Then I'd stick the rest in the bank and start looking into a) going back to school and b) finding a better job.

But hey, thanks for assuming that I'd be completely fiscally retarded about it just because I wasn't born rich. That totally doesn't make you look like an elitist asshole or anything.

Lachwen: Yes, no doubt there are many poor people out there who would blow the money. However, just because one guy your dad knows didn't manage his money wisely does not mean that ALL poor people would blow a windfall like that.

Poor people are poor for a reason, so yes a majority of them would just blow the cash, its not a debate, its a fact, otherwise they would not be poor their entire lives.

Lachwen: But hey, thanks for assuming that I'd be completely fiscally retarded about it just because I wasn't born rich.

You do realize there is a difference between being born rich and just being born a farking moron, right? Most people who are born poor work their asses off to make their money and deserve respect, those that are still farking broke in their 30s and still start drinking at noon on thursday because "4 day weekend! WHoooooooooooo" deserve to be poor. We are talking about two different classes of people and you can not differentiate between the two because the media has built up that somehow the poor are to be revered. Its quite the opposite, you have to work pretty god damned hard to be poor in this country, the fact a shiat load of immigrants come and end up making tons of money are proof of that fact.

RobSeace: What did she do with it?

There is a difference between older people and younger people, anyone who lived during the depression or WWII seem to live more frugally, its their fact of life, your anecdote just proves further how modern poor are too stupid to do anything except blow money. Older people value it a lot more.

technicolor-misfit: The seller took the safe route.

heh :)

poe_zlaw: angelwolf65: El Morro: Even though the seller is being kind of a dick about the money (half? Are you nuts?), I would have thrown the guy either 500 or 1k.

Tell him to have a fun night with friends and use it to cover the tab, or to put it toward a new cell phone model or something. 25k is still an awesome little chunk of money to play with or invest.

Leaving a review rubbing it in his face was awesome, though :)

I agree. I would have given the guy 1k.

this is one of many threads where people claim they would give the seller a sum of money... why?? why is the seller entitled to anything? the ONLY way I would come off of anything is if the seller put me in touch with whom he bought it from and I was shown some sort of proof (or at least very convincing evidence) that the cash was originally theirs and left in the safe by mistske. if the seller doesnt even attempt that angle, the only thing I would do is point and laugh at him. In all reality, the safe was probably picked up at an estate sale sold by people who were selling many other things and the person who it belonged to is dead. Nobody FORGETS there is cash left in a big box made for keeping valuables in.
In other words, the more I thought about what to do if I found money in a safe I bought from a whiny Ebay seller who didnt know it was in there to begin with because he is lazy and just trying to flip an item he bought, the mote I lean towards how I would enjoy the money myself.

The last thing I would do immediately is tell him I found the money. Its okay to have a conscience but dont be a dumbass about it.

Why?
Because I'm a nice person who likes to share the joy when I'm blessed with a windfall. Of course the seller wasn't entitled to any of it, but the buyer dropped all of $123 on a safe, and in return came out with TWENTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS. He didn't earn the money. He wasn't expecting the money. It's a flat out "I got lucky" bonus.

Yeah, the seller may be kind of a dick, but he's still the reason why the buyer has 26k to play with. Peeling off 500 or 1k still leaves him with way more money than he had before the buy. On top of that, he can enjoy knowing that the buyer learned a lesson he won't soon forget, and that his little kickback is going to be enjoyed by the person who made it happen.

Nothing wrong with spreading some love :)