LOS ANGELES As she walked from a post office, Talon Curtis thought she'd found one of those gimmicky sweepstakes offers on the ground that scream something like "$357,959.55" in big bold letters and "This is not a real check" in much smaller type. But just as she was about to do her part for a cleaner planet and deliver the paper from the parking lot to a trash can, she noticed it was a real cashier's check with a real signature.
"I couldn't believe it. I almost passed out," Curtis, who works as a loan negotiator, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "I have never seen a check that big. Not in my possession, anyway."
She immediately set out to find its rightful recipient, but it was Saturday afternoon and the banks were closing. On Monday, with help from KCAL-TV reporter Dave Malkoff, she located the check's owner, who had arrived at her bank in a panic.
"I think she had walked in at the same time the bank manager called me back," Curtis said. "I could hear her walking up to him. and I could hear all this commotion in the background."
Curtis said she spoke briefly with the woman on the phone about a possible meeting, but Pacific Mercantile Bank instructed her to mail the check to them instead.
Not willing to take a chance on the mail, Curtis delivered it personally. A bank employee confirmed it had arrived.
Curtis said she never thought of keeping the check for herself, and she declined the woman's offer of a reward. Still, she's just a little disappointed.
"I just wanted to see her face," Curtis said, laughing. "I just wanted to let her know that there are honest people left in this world."
Hmmmm..what would you do? Keep the check, or return it?
I would return it (I know for some of you it would be hard to believe but that goes to show you don't know me as well as you think :P) cause I know if I lost that kinda money I would be really pissed and scared. It's all a matter of principle for me and I hope everyone would return the money as well.
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It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. Samuel Adams
As much as I would want to keep it, it is not mine to keep! I could only imagine how bad I would be freaking out if I had lost that kind of money.
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"Daily I stay silent, thinking thoughts at lightening speed Heightened by the feedback and forth reciprocation Believe I'm well connected Not a prophet who's been resurrected Trust and I expect it " - Zion I & The Grouch
of course keep it! haha just kidding....no i wouldn't.
as much as i would want to keep i would return it. thats the right thing. if you were in the other person's position you would want that money back too.
i would be devastated if i lost that much money. good thing that lady was kind enough to return it. :]
Its relieving to know that there are honest people in this world. The only thing is, if this person was behind on taxes of her hpuse was being forslosed, she might have kept it. It all really depends how strong you are to resist the temptation of cashing it in. Its so easy to do. Its like the lottery on the ground!
if it was me i probablly would of kep that money because thats alot of money...but she did the right thing and returned tthe money to its rightful owner