Getting your things back, safely
Most returns are simple: the finder leaves it with staff and you go pick it up. When they aren't, these are the habits that keep a lost water bottle from turning into a bad day.
Six habits for a safe return
The safest return has no meetup
- Most notes say where your things are: a front desk, a store counter, a lost & found. Go there and ask staff.
- If the finder still has it and shared a way to reach them, ask them to leave it with staff somewhere nearby instead of meeting.
- Call the place first to check it's there, and bring ID that matches the name on your page.
If you do meet in person
- Pick a busy, public, well-lit place, in daylight. Many police stations have a lobby or a marked "safe exchange" spot for exactly this.
- Never meet at your home or theirs, in a car, or somewhere quiet. Don't get into anyone's vehicle.
- Bring a friend, or at least tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back. Share your location with them.
- Get there and leave on your own. Don't let a stranger drive you or follow you home.
Never pay to get your things back
- No rewards, "shipping" or courier fees, deposits, or holding fees before you have your item. A finder who wants money first is the most common scam.
- Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, or a payment app to someone you don't know. That money can't be recovered.
- Never share a verification code someone texts you, even if they say it's to "prove you're real". It's how accounts get stolen.
- Don't click links in a note, and don't scan a QR code a stranger sends you.
Keep your details to yourself
- Your page and our relay keep your phone number and email private. Stay on the relay until you have a reason to trust someone.
- Don't share your home address, workplace, schedule, or photos of your ID.
- If you do call or text a finder, consider a second number (many phone carriers and apps offer one) rather than your main line.
- Be wary of anyone asking questions that aren't about the item: where you live, when you're home, who you live with.
Kids' things: the grown-up handles it
- A parent or guardian handles every return. Never let a child meet a finder or reply to one.
- School items are best picked up from the school's front office or lost & found.
- Treat any note that asks to meet a child, or asks personal questions about one, as a red flag and report it.
If something feels off, walk away
- Trust your gut. You can always leave, cancel, or decide the item isn't worth it.
- In your inbox, Block sender stops more notes from that person, and you can pause notes on your page in one tap.
- Notes we flag as Possible spam or Be careful deserve extra skepticism. Read them twice before acting.
Stop and walk away if a finder…
- Asks for money, a reward, or a fee before you have the item
- Wants gift cards, crypto, a wire transfer, or a payment-app transfer
- Asks for a code that was texted to you
- Wants to meet at a home, in a car, at night, or somewhere quiet
- Pushes you to hurry, or gets angry when you suggest a staffed place
- Asks where you live or when you'll be home
- Says they'll only return it if you contact them somewhere else
In danger? Call 911 or your local emergency number. Something wrong with a note or a page? Tell us.
Common questions
Why does itbelongsto.me hide contact details in notes?
Because most returns don't need them, and contact details are how scams and unwanted contact start. Notes tell you where your things are, so you can pick them up without either of you sharing a number. If a finder includes their details, we hide them by default. You can choose to view them in your inbox after a safety reminder, and we keep a record each time you do.
The finder wants a reward. Should I pay?
Not before you have your item, and never with gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, or a payment app to a stranger. If you'd like to thank someone, do it in person after the handoff, if at all. Genuine finders almost never ask for money first.
Where's a good place to pick something up?
Somewhere staffed and public: a hotel or office front desk, a store counter, a library, a campus or transit lost & found, or a police station lobby. Many police departments welcome exchanges in their lobby or parking lot.
Someone is threatening me or I think I've been scammed. What do I do?
If you're in danger, call 911 (or your local emergency number). Report scams to your local police, and in the US to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Then block the sender in your inbox and let us know through our contact page.
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