No one can know the law inside and out. Unfortunately, ignorance of the law isn’t usually an excuse that will help you get away with breaking it. This is fine for most significant crimes. You know you’re not supposed to steal, hurt anyone or damage anyone’s property. But there are plenty of laws and loopholes that could catch you out if you’re not careful. While not all of them will mean that you end up being charged with a crime, you can make it more difficult to avoid trouble and being regarded suspiciously by the police. Take a look at these things that you could be doing that might get you in trouble.
Carrying Prescription Pills in a Pill Organizer
Do you have any medications that you separate into a pill organizer? Or maybe you just separate a few pills out when you travel, so you don’t have to take the whole bottle with you. Unfortunately, this could spell trouble for you. In some states, it’s illegal to remove prescription medications from their original container. In others, it’s not illegal, but it won’t look good if you don’t have the bottle or your prescription to hand. Take a look at this useful resource for more advice on how prescription medication could get you on the wrong side of the law. Controlled substances are important to handle carefully, even if you do have a prescription.
Placing Big Bets With Your Friends
Gambling with friends has the potential to get you in trouble. If you’re placing small wagers with each other, nothing is likely to happen to you. However, the law puts limits on the number of people betting and the amount of money that can be made in a day. So if you happen to be placing bets that involve five or more people, with a revenue of over $2,000 in a day, you could find yourself dealing with a legal mess.
Drinking on the Beach
During the summer, parties on the beach are always a great way to spend some time. Taking a cooler with a few beers only seems like the right thing to do, and everyone else has likely had the same idea. But, apart from the fact that it’s illegal to drink on some beaches altogether, you need to be careful about how much you drink. Even if drinking on the beach is legal, being arrested for public intoxication probably isn’t on your list of things to achieve.
Not Telling the Taxman About Your eBay Activities
If you use eBay once in a while to clear out your garage, it’s unlikely that the IRS is going to care. However, if you regularly sell using the online auction platform (or others sites, like Etsy), you could find yourself in trouble. If you’re making a regular income from selling online, or even an irregular one, and you’re not declaring it on your tax return, you could find that the IRS comes knocking in the future.
While you could accidentally break the law and have it go unnoticed, you don’t want to get caught out. It’s best to be cautious if you want to stay on the right side of the law.