Corrupt former building manager gets his comeuppance when the replacement scatters 250 keys with his callback information on them: ‘If found, call for reward’

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Jan 27, 2026 9:00 PM EST

This building manager had some karmic justice on the way, but did he imagine that hundreds of 'found-it' phone calls would become his punishment? Probably not. 

Building managers are supposed to help keep commercial and residential properties running properly. They unlock the mail room, hire HVAC specialists, and generally keep an eye on the property to keep things running smoothly for everybody. However, this executive power can go to their heads, turning the most corruptible building managers into power-trippers who spend more time turning a profit on the side than attending to their daily duties. 

After years of acting like a glorified hall monitor, a pompous laze-about, and a part-time racketeer, this building manager was clearly up to no good. Without proof, the building's owners decided to simply hire another building manager to oversee his daily duties, but with a new partner breathing down his neck and watching his every move, suddenly, the corruption wasn't allowed anymore. Eventually, the original building manager decided he didn't want this clean-cut job anymore and spent his final weeks on the job making things insufferable for his replacement. 

Little did he know, he was messing with a master of petty revenge.

With weeks of harranguing fresh on his mind and a pocketful of thousands of unlabeled building keys, the clever replacement cooked up the perfect payback. You can run away from your responsibilities on the job, but you can't run from hundreds of lost-and-found phone calls from concerned citizens. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10600478208
    via Madrolly
  • 02
    A key for all occasions A few years ago, I had an absolutely horrendous building engineer. He had been allowed to runamuck for years. When I was hired, I was told I was hired to control him and less hired to manage the building
    via Maiden_Far
  • 03
    That's exactly what I did. He had to come to me for everything. I had to approve all the expenses. There were multiple small offices around the high-rise building so I took away 'his' office.
    via Maiden_Far
  • 04
    He was also apparently charging a fee to let other tenants store stuff in vacant spaces. I put a stop to this as well.
    via Maiden_Far
  • 05
    Needless to say within a month he quit. However, he began a very subtle campaign of harassment. Coming into the building and changing things around, obviously he still had a key. Following the new vendors that I hired. Just little things. Random call hang ups.
    via Maiden_Far
  • 06
    Also, he must've had 1000. different keys to all the locks. It was like a massive escape room trying to find out where things were. Go to room A, to get a key for a box in room B, to open door C. I ended up just re- keying the entire building. Completely worth it! Insert petty revenge...
    via Maiden_Far
  • 07
    Finally, after getting all of the locks changed and removing all the thousand of stored door knobs and keys, I came up with an idea
    via Maiden_Far
  • 08
    I called a friend of mine with a print shop and asked them to print tag labels for keys. On those labels it read., 'If found, call for reward. (His phone number)"
    via Maiden_Far
  • 09
    I attached all 250 labels to 250 keys. Slowly over the next year, I systematically dropped keys all over the place. Not just an our area, but because I also travel, I would drop them in other cities as well.
    via Maiden_Far
  • 10
    I would leave them in bathrooms. I would leave them next to coffee machines at convenience stores. I would leave them on top of gas pumps. The doctors office next to the sink. A few times, even left them on top of the luggage kiosk at the airport.
    via Maiden_Far
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10600478464
    via Dave Hill
  • 12
    We went on two cruises and a good 20 keys got left in various places on both of those cruises. I spent a year just casually, leaving these keys all over the city and half the country.
    via Maiden_Far
  • 13
    Man in a button down shirt looking upset on the phone
    via Karola G

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • This is the type of prank that could literally go on for years. Treasure hunters all over the world may find these keys and call the number listed. Perhaps the only way to outrun a job poorly done is to change your phone number and atone. This corrupt building manager had a slimy, self-serving past, but a clearly ringing future. Maybe this will be the wakeup call that sets his life straight… Or maybe he'll never truly understand the long-game of petty revenge when you make enemies with your job replacement. 

  • 14
    Once in a while, I would stalk his Facebook page and he would talk about these keys. Or... He would rage about the keys in the phone calls. Best petty revenge with absolutely no way to trace it back to me
    via Maiden_Far

  • Funnily enough, this probably won't be the last that this guy hears from his old work, because now he is officially haunted by the ghosts of his past. It seems like a worthy round of karma for a dude who spent years squeezing tenants for illegal money, refusing to do his job, and making it harder for anyone to replace his labyrinth of keys. 

    Well, the keys have found their way back to you, sir. Good luck sorting through them. 

  • 15
    1 quirky1 How many keys do you have left? Take up a collection from people's junk drawers and keep it going indefinitely. Update the tag to say "batch 2 of 10, keys 251-499" or "lubrication and sedatives"
    via 1 quirky1
  • 16
    OP Maiden Far I easily have another 150 to 200 keys. Also, one of my contractors is a locksmith. They throw all of their old keys in a bucket. I could get my hand on 1000 immediately if I wanted.
    via Maiden_Far
  • 17
    I_dnt_Need_anew_name The key to stopping those calls is for him to change phone number.
    via I_dnt_Need_anew_name
  • 18
    OP Maiden Far Oh! Funny side note... he was running a business out of his office in the building. It was tied to his phone number. So changing his phone number means changing his business number... Then bother me either way. I win. O >
    via Maiden_Far
  • 19
    DarlinSnickers ngl this us evil genius petty harmless, long-term, and zero paper trail. respect
    via DarlinSnickers
  • 20
    TangerineCouch 18330 That could go on for years!
    via TangerineCouch18330
  • 21
    Mystery-Ess Now THIS is petty revenge! Some of the revenge stories are pretty malicious, but this one is amazing! Worth every penny I bet.
    via Maiden_Far
  • 22
    mmmmmsurf I would nominate you as keynote speaker at the petty revenge conference.
    via mmmmmsurf
  • 23
    Keelback I do think that this is the best petty revenge that I have seen and so appropriate. LOL.
    via Keelback

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