I found a cell phone: what should I do?

You’ve definitely heard the saying “finders keepers”, right?

Well, unlike the old popular saying, find a cell phone and not taking any action is not a coincidence or luck, but rather, crime.

And there is no way to run, if you want to avoid serious problems, it is better to learn how to proceed in this case.

So, check out the exclusive content we’ve prepared below to help you never have a hard time!

Is there a law for “lost and found” situations?

As provided by the Article 169 of the Penal Code, finding something – be it a cell phone or any other item – and not returning it to its owner or to the competent authorities constitutes a crime of misappropriation.

And the situation is much more serious than one might think. In short, the aforementioned law stipulates the following:

• “For the appropriation of something obtained by mistake, fortuitous event or force of nature”

In other words, if for any reason a cell phone that is not yours ends up in your possession, try to return it to the owner immediately.

If this is not possible, hand the device over to the administrative departments of the establishment where the object was noticed (security team, lost and found department, others).

If that is not an option either, then hand the item over to a police station as soon as you can.

In the case above, the penalty applied for failure to return the item belonging to another person may be detention or a fine, depending on the defendant's history and the value of the item in question.

In cases of imprisonment, this can vary from one month to one year. This decision will be made by the judge in the case.

• “Appropriation of found property”

The same penalty conditions apply, according to section II of the law, to “anyone who finds someone else’s lost property and appropriates it, in whole or in part, failing to return it to the owner or legitimate possessor or to deliver it to the competent authority, within a period of fifteen days”.

Almost everyone has a cell phone these days, and it is not uncommon to lose or find a device lying around. However, existing technological resources already allow tracking of the device by the owner, even when turned off.

Therefore, steps must be taken to ensure that this object is returned to its owner or, when not applicable, delivered to the appropriate person.

Another important fact to be mentioned is about the transfer of found objects.

In Brazil, there are real cases already reported by the media that tell stories where individuals found a cell phone and, instead of returning it, sold it to third parties.

In these cases, the individuals listed were indicted for misappropriation of property and are awaiting a court ruling.

Furthermore, if the innocence of the buyers is not proven, they may also be accused of receiving stolen goods.

Therefore, think carefully before reselling any found item. You have up to 15 days to take action, however, do so as soon as possible to avoid further problems and embarrassment.

What to do if you find a cell phone?

At first, you may be unsure of what to do after noticing an object that is not yours. There are countless situations, but there is always an option.

In case of errors, for example, you can try to access the contact list on that cell phone.

The vast majority of us tend to register people close to us with names that refer to the degree of kinship, such as father, mother or even nicknames, such as “love” or similar to designate our partner.

This is a very easy way to get in touch with a relative to facilitate the return. However, be careful of scams and people trying to impersonate others.

A good tip is to arrange to return the device at a police station.

You can also try find out the owner of the cell phone number (click on the link and find out more).

Another option is, as already mentioned, to immediately hand over the cell phone to administrative sections of commercial places, such as cinemas, bars, stores and the like.

At private parties, you can hand over the object to the host or, if you prefer, directly to a police station.

Conclusion

So now you know: if you have a cell phone that isn't yours, find a way to return it or pass it on to the rightful owner.

After all, just imagine being surprised with a feather and still having your name marked simply because you didn't know how to proceed in that situation?

So, so that more people have access to this important information, share this article on all your social networks.

And don't forget that when you find a cell phone or other item that isn't yours, if found – and not returned – it is stolen and can result in jail time!