Is stealing Bitcoin illegal?

[coinsocieties]

This is a hard questions.  The moral understand is always that if you take what is not yours, you are stealing which is wrong.  Now the issue with Bitcoin is that it really only belongs to the wallet that it is put in.  If you open a wallet with it in already what could you do?  The only thing I can think of would be to search for the bitcoin address somewhere on the web to see if it belongs to anyone.

[rababo]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

The chance that going to happen is near to 0%. That's more likely impossible to happen.
But let's say it's happened somehow, still it's wrong if you take it because it's not yours, it's belong to someone else.

[JeffBrad12]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

The chance that going to happen is near to 0%. That's more likely impossible to happen.
But let's say it's happened somehow, still it's wrong if you take it because it's not yours, it's belong to someone else.

The bold sentences are referred it's will be impossible to happen. but maybe if somebody else wanna or allowed you to take the amount I think it's not included as  stealing. but where from you know about the balance is already belonging to somebody else?

[Strongkored]

This is a hard questions.  The moral understand is always that if you take what is not yours, you are stealing which is wrong.  Now the issue with Bitcoin is that it really only belongs to the wallet that it is put in.  If you open a wallet with it in already what could you do?  The only thing I can think of would be to search for the bitcoin address somewhere on the web to see if it belongs to anyone.

yeah indeed be moral if we take / steal the property of others intentionally, then it is the wrong thing, but in this case a little difficult. We get a new wallet inside existing bitcoin, accidentally. As I've said before it certainly can not be said to steal, right?

Although we trace the wallet is still difficult to find the identity of the original owner, and the wallet could have no owner and does op is a lucky man

[Doms]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

The chance that going to happen is near to 0%. That's more likely impossible to happen.
But let's say it's happened somehow, still it's wrong if you take it because it's not yours, it's belong to someone else.

I can compare it to finding a wallet in a park or a taxi, filled with cash, but in this instance, a much rarer and highly improbable thing. If you happen to stumble across something like that, it is all about ethics and character. Even I would be tempted to take the money.

[lienfaye]

of course its illegal, not only for bitcoin, but for everything

Yes not just for bitcoin but in everything. stealing means you are doing something that is not right so you know to yourself that it is illegal. you wont be happy if you spend somebody else's money.

[pooya87]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

The chance that going to happen is near to 0%. That's more likely impossible to happen.
But let's say it's happened somehow, still it's wrong if you take it because it's not yours, it's belong to someone else.

I can compare it to finding a wallet in a park or a taxi, filled with cash, but in this instance, a much rarer and highly improbable thing. If you happen to stumble across something like that, it is all about ethics and character. Even I would be tempted to take the money.

that is not even close to the chance of address collision chance. because you can always find a wallet on a park bench or in a taxi that fell out of a pocket of someone, that is pretty common. but the chance of finding a bitcoin address with bitcoin on it is as small as spontaneously combustion.

[wuvdoll]

Is stealing Bitcoin illegal?

While I read the topic, I was like 'wtf did I just read  '. Maybe you should make the topic a bit more clear?

Well, if you generate an address and some coins were already there and you use those coins, then it's illegal.

Let's make this even more simple.
Suppose, you generate a private key and somehow it turns out to be the private key of a very large exchange. You transfer those coins to your address. Then the exchange announces that it got hacked and will take legal steps against you. So there you have it, it's illegal

The chances of that happening though is about ~500x less than winning the grand lotto.
If that happens though, well, just don't steal 'em. It's illegal and morally unacceptable. And if I am in that situation, definitely I will try to contact that address holder in different possible ways. But most of the bitcoiners keep their bitcoins in cold storage and finding them is a highly hard task.

[Pattart]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

The chance that going to happen is near to 0%. That's more likely impossible to happen.
But let's say it's happened somehow, still it's wrong if you take it because it's not yours, it's belong to someone else.

yeah I think there is no chance whatsoever even 0% for you to get inside bitccoin in a bitcoin address. although people sent bitcoin into your address randomly. but bitcoin was not going to get into the address. because the address was not registered in the system

[LiberOptions]

Any act of stealing someone's property is a fellony, therefore is illegalç. Bitcoin in a sense is property, so you can't steal someone's Bitcoins and think that it is not illegal

[patronis]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

The chance that going to happen is near to 0%. That's more likely impossible to happen.
But let's say it's happened somehow, still it's wrong if you take it because it's not yours, it's belong to someone else.

Everyone seems to be saying that doing that would be morally wrong and I agree because finding Bitcoin like that isn't like getting a dollar off the ground, it would be more like finding a wallet somewhere with some money and a drivers license in there. It's just up to the person to decide whether it's right or not, someone is definitely missing that wallet but you don't actually know them so you make the decision of whether you find spending that money right or not.

[Beinglove]

Steeling is a criminal activity. You again would want to fall in the same lake? First change such kinds of thoughts and try to post a valuable threads as everyone here spends their precious time in posting to a valuable threads. When you can think of such threads, why can't you think of a post which is really welcomed and attracted to post.

[zodin]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

The chance that going to happen is near to 0%. That's more likely impossible to happen.
But let's say it's happened somehow, still it's wrong if you take it because it's not yours, it's belong to someone else.

yes there is no argument and reason through which we can say that bitcoin stealing is legal. it is almost illegal in any case just like stealing things in real life.

[rinhunter]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

I think it's not stealing, because you didn't do anything. If you feel stealing from it, who is to blame?
If it happens.. Take it, dont worry, its legal.
And in the blockchain system, i think it will not happen, because total of bitcoin addresses it's a lot.

yes, it is legal if it happens like that, but if you intentionally take someone from walletnya bitcoin, it was called a thief and it is clearly illegal. it's the same as taking money in the bank without anyone in mind. of course it was very dangerous and of course the money you get is illegal. maybe you'd better not do that

yeah that's illegal, but op says.
I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else.
of course it doesn't accidentally.

[Yutikas_11920]

of course its illegal, not only for bitcoin, but for everything

Yeah, all the things that concerned about stealing is something that is detrimental to their victims. Because the thief take something belonging to another person without permission or prior notification, and those who become victims of highly disadvantaged

[xdrpx]

Yes, stealing in any form is illegal, be it Bitcoin or fiat. Infact it's people's hard earned money and stealing it just because you could be undetectable is unethical. Stealing impacts in a great way, it impacts even how the market performs, just like when a lot of Bitcoins are stolen from large exchanges. It's always better to safeguard your Bitcoins.

[Cresciuanto]

Yes, stealing in any form is illegal, be it Bitcoin or fiat. Infact it's people's hard earned money and stealing it just because you could be undetectable is unethical. Stealing impacts in a great way, it impacts even how the market performs, just like when a lot of Bitcoins are stolen from large exchanges. It's always better to safeguard your Bitcoins.

yes there is no doubt about this. stealing of every thing is bad. and bitcoin is a currency just like your fiat currency so stealing of bitcoin means that you are stealing the property of some one. or stealing money from him.

[PsursV]

Yes, stealing in any form is illegal, be it Bitcoin or fiat. Infact it's people's hard earned money and stealing it just because you could be undetectable is unethical. Stealing impacts in a great way, it impacts even how the market performs, just like when a lot of Bitcoins are stolen from large exchanges. It's always better to safeguard your Bitcoins.

yes there is no doubt about this. stealing of every thing is bad. and bitcoin is a currency just like your fiat currency so stealing of bitcoin means that you are stealing the property of some one. or stealing money from him.

yes that is absolutely right. stealing of bitcoin means that if you are going to steal money from some one or to steal some thing having high value. so it is not good to steal bitcoin from some one.

[CrazyCraig]

I never exactly understood how people justify stealing. Its really sad, its become part of American culture from politics to your everyday craigslist scammer. Its ridiculous.

[bestluck]

Yes, stealing in any form is illegal, be it Bitcoin or fiat. Infact it's people's hard earned money and stealing it just because you could be undetectable is unethical. Stealing impacts in a great way, it impacts even how the market performs, just like when a lot of Bitcoins are stolen from large exchanges. It's always better to safeguard your Bitcoins.

yes there is no doubt about this. stealing of every thing is bad. and bitcoin is a currency just like your fiat currency so stealing of bitcoin means that you are stealing the property of some one. or stealing money from him.

yes that is absolutely right. stealing of bitcoin means that if you are going to steal money from some one or to steal some thing having high value. so it is not good to steal bitcoin from some one.

But if you read the contents in the OP then you will come to know that the OP is discussing some special case, in there is asking that if he generate a bitcoin address and it will have some bitcoins ( actually OP is considering that available bitcoin in the address as stealing it from someone else). I think it will never ever happen and if that happened and your system handled someone else address to you then try to reback it. and report about it. By the way it will never happen as the technology of bitcoin is not that much worst.