I'm only 17, a few months back i found a wallet in the street full of credit cards and a SSN and everything. I wanted to give it back but I was afraid that someone would track it back and think i stole it, and I always had this overwhelming curiosity hanging over me and taunting me that maybe I should see if it worked, not because I wanted the money or the thing, but just because I was curious. And then I did some really stupid things, my stupid stupid self thought that the only way to know for certain if it was real was to test it by filling out a form online and seeing if it went to the next page, so I stupidly tried to apply for a credit card and even more stupidly put in MY home address so he wouldn't get any mail about it, If I did i would just throw it away and that would be that. But instead of a page saying "nope that didn't work" I got a page that said "we'll mail you our response to you". I should've fucking seen that as a sign, and I wish it ended there but it doesn't. I still had those credit cards, and I was still left with so many questions. "Should I bother sending them back? what if they're cancelled? why should I send back a cancelled credit card?" I'm trembling just typing this... I stupidly tried them on steam. I just put the first game i saw into the cart, Fallout 4. First 3 cards didn't work, onto the last. "Purchase successful"
I. Panicked.
I immediately realized what I'd done, I, not knowing how credit cards worked, used all the information I had to cancel the account. I thought that was that. 5 days later I went on a 3 week trip to Spain and largely forgot about it. Then we get back, someone leaves a voicemail on the home phone. "This is the U.S treasury investigating fraud, please cooperate and help us help you." I immediately broke down and told my parents, even though it turns out that that voicemail is a common scam, they knew. Then we got in the mail a something from a credit card company saying they "needed more information" Now my parents wan't to disown me for doing this, they don't believe it was out of stupidity and curiosity. they want to hire a lawyer and turn me in. My life as I know it will be ruined, I wasn't trying to steal anyone's identity... I didn't even know that was a thing people did. I feel like the police could bust down my door at any moment and I feel so much regret. mostly for what I did to the poor guy. I couldn't handle prison, I'd rather end it than be there. Please help me, give me some advice or something that would change my mind. I would be so grateful if someone could put my mind to rest :(