A while back I had traveled to Falkreath and picked up the Bounty for the giant at Secunda's Shelf. So I went there and killed the giant, stroll back into town and: "Halt, by order of the Jarl...." I then found out that there was a 1000 gold bounty on my head, not wanting to start a war with the guards I paid it off. I still have no idea what I did to earn it, I did meet up with Barbas when I was looking for him a few days before and I had that quest line only half finished at the time. Could the Blacksmith that sent me to find him have gotten mad and thought I stole him?

For the longest time I have had a bounty of some 40g on me, and assassins have been out to get me (they always have a hit contract signed by Astrid). The only thing that I can think of was stealing a bandit's horse. It was my first visit to Whiterun, and on the west side of the promontory on which it lies is a hollow with a camp of bandits. They have a wagon and a horse. I cleared the place out, mounted up and rode to the gates of Whiterun. I may have been on a bounty quest for the Jarl. I have since learned that stolen horses report to any and all guards! Still, the horse ran back, so it was no permanent loss. Besides, it was a bandit's horse!

Last night I was SE of Riften and, having come under attack multiple times by creatures of the night, was jumpy and overly cautious. So when I saw a figure standing in some ruins, I shot him. Turned out to be a hunter, and a 1000g bounty was on my head, that is until I shot his dog, then it was removed. But it still shows in my General Stats. I wish there was a way to show exactly what the current bounty is and why.

BTW, I've done both of the quests you've mentioned without any bounty being placed on me.

1000 gold bounty is typically a murder. Maybe you accidently caught a townsfolk with a Dragon shout or something and sent them plummeting to their death?

I've had bounties of 40g without knowing why. I also was once chased by a guard who was essential wanting to arrest me for a bounty for 40g. I couldn't kill him or disable him so I was forced to go and pay off the bounty or be haunted by him as he seemed to be able to find me out of nowhere.

The game seems to be pretty sensitive with bounties when npcs are not immediately aggressive towards you. Sometimes If you attack before they go into combat mode you get a crime awarded to your stats.

Animals count as witnesses.

That's what I thought too, I did have a few battles in Falkreath Hold an innocent must have gotten caught in the crossfire. Kinda ticked me off though, if I am gonna have a bounty on my head the least the game could do let me have the enjoyment of earning it!

Nothing quite like having a bounty placed on your head... by a chicken.

Or because you accidentally killed a chicken.

not like that, but i had a bounty from felgard (court wizzard) on my head.

meaning i was just questing walking around in the woods, when 3 thugs came up on me. they started to fight me, while i was wondering why.
but i am a good guy so i killed them all, looted their bodies, and found a bounty letter saying. that I was a thief and should be killed signed by felgar (or what his name is).

still dont know why... but maybe becouse i stole some gems of his table while he was there and did not see me doing it. maybe he asked himself wtf are my gems haha

I just wish there was a way to tell if and where you have a bounty. Or I might just be missing something.

There are objects (usually books) not marked as owned, you can take without gaining a bounty, BUT that apparently didn't meant the owner of the room didn't get pissed if you take them. It happens to me once, when I find various books in the cave of that guy that want's to open a massive box. I take them as they weren't marked as owned and days letter I received a visit of three angry gentlemen with a letter from said guy.

Menu -> Game Statistics -> Crime

I was just about to start the fight with the Frost Troll on the way to see the Greybeards, and along come some Thugs to teach me a lesson. The Frost Troll spent all its energy attacking them, and I was able to kill it from behind without taking any damage. I had taken Alvor's iron and steel ingots.

The hired thugs has to be moded for better thief roleplay, makes no sense to get them after you for steeling an apple from a kid.
Yes if you break in and clear out an shop or similar it makes it makes sense say 10-20 items or 500-1000 gold, shady characters might use thugs with less provocation than lawful ones, same for someone who dislike you already.
Also fount the thugs hard for a pure thief character with limited combat skills.

I ran into this situation yesterday on my assassin. It was right at the start of the game, so I haven't even had a chance to be really evil yet. I helped fight the giant outside of Whiterun and suddenly a guard starts shooting at me with his bow. No warning or anything, just trying to kill me. I drew and sheathed my weapon and he started to arrest me for a 40g fine. I have no idea what for. I mean I killed Anise and cleared out her shack, so I expect to see thugs for that. But other than that I've not stolen or killed much. I did kill two Alik'r warriors who were harassing a woman near the giant fight... But I wanted their curved swords.

So.. yeah. Apparently I should have killed the woman too or something though I didn't see a bounty posted when I killed the Alik'r. And I can't open my general window because it causes an immediate crash to desktop every time.

Yes, that woman will put a bounty on you. Though 40g seems a bit light, unless she didn't see you attack but one, and didn't see you kill either one.

I have a 5g bounty everywhere I go. I'd assume it was from stealing, but I don't even bother stealing since I have something like 140000 gold.

I paid them off for a time, but they just came back. I mean it's not like I'm being arrested, I just hear "Hey! I know you..." everytime I see a guard. Baffling!

happens to me all the time. they can't expect me to remember every time single that i broke the law.

I mean really. LOL

yep... had one, didnt know why... then later it dawned to me, that i had probably Fus-Roh-Dah'd a chicken when i shouted in a village

and i hate it when you're sneaking then you get detected but they wont show you who or what detected you. they should pop up in your map if they detect you XP

Quite often.

It seems killing a DB assassin count as a murder ?!?

Shooting at the girl at the entrance of witherhold academy granted me a 40g bounty. As she is essential and can't die it is not a murder but an assault and she is THE witness.

Even undetected I got a bounty with the orcs for looting the dead body of the ones killed by the giant (I don't remember the name of the fortress)

Killing the members of the thieves guild gave me a bounty too. As I discovered, most are essential so they can't die but when they chased me outside and I got the bounty, not them. Obviously the guards protect the thieves.

Essential characters plague the game.