How ReportLost Works
ReportLost is designed to make lost and found information easier to record, easier to search, and easier to share — in a way that complements existing solutions rather than replacing them.
Our goal is simple: help lost items and their owners find their way back to each other.
Reporting an item is free
Anyone can submit a report on ReportLost at no cost.
Free reports allow:
- Lost items to be referenced online
- Found items to be documented and described
- Information to be indexed by search engines
Unlike posts shared in closed Facebook groups or private forums, reports published on ReportLost are searchable on the open web, making them easier to discover by people who are actively looking for a specific item.
This approach is complementary to social networks and local groups, not a replacement for them.
Reporting a found item
If you found an item, you can report it in two ways:
1. Automatic identification (optional)
You may upload a photo of the item. When available, Google Vision technology can help identify the object and suggest relevant characteristics.
2. Manual description
You can also describe the item yourself by providing details such as:
- Item type
- Color and material
- Brand or visible markings
- Location where it was found
Both methods are valid and can be combined.
Reporting a lost item and search assistance options
Publishing a report is free. Automatic search costs $12 once and includes six months of public-web monitoring, a ReportLost certificate, an anonymous address linked to the report, and printable QR stickers. Team-assisted search costs $25 and adds manual research, direct contact with relevant services, report submission, local social sharing, and 12 months of monitoring.
Team-assisted search includes manual research and follow-up by a team member. We contact relevant services and venues and submit the report to appropriate lost-property services.
- Submitting the report to the appropriate lost-property services
- Contacting the place where the item was likely lost:
- parks
- public transportation services
- theaters or venues
- nearby shops (if the loss occurred in the street)
A team member contacts relevant services directly by email, phone, or the channel each organization uses. Each organization controls its own filing and collection procedures.
Public-web monitoring
Automatic search includes public-web monitoring for six months. Team-assisted search includes monitoring for 12 months. Checks run daily during the first week, then weekly and monthly.
When a potential match is detected:
- an alert is sent to our team
- the information is reviewed manually
- the owner is notified if the match appears relevant
Potential matches are reviewed before notification. The service does not cover content that is inaccessible to public search tools.
Local sharing with team-assisted search
Team-assisted search includes sharing a visual notice with relevant local pages and community groups under their posting rules. Availability varies by location.
Loss report certificate (included with paid search services)
A certificate recording your declaration and its date is issued on our website and can be downloaded from your case page at any time. It is useful when a venue, an insurer or an employer asks for written proof that the loss was declared. It is not an official document and does not replace a police report or any document issued by a public authority.
Stickers and QR code (included with paid search services)
A printable PDF sheet of stickers is included with Automatic and team-assisted search.
These stickers can be placed on personal belongings to help prevent future losses.
Each sticker includes a QR code that allows the person who finds the item to contact the owner without making the owner’s email address public.
Privacy and transparency
- Sensitive personal information is never published publicly
- Potential matches from paid search services are reviewed by a person
- ReportLost does not guarantee recovery. The service provides a structured way to publish a report and access the selected search option.
About ReportLost
ReportLost is an independent private service. The free public listing, optional search services, and their prices are described above.
ReportLost is not a police, airport, transit, or government service and is not affiliated with public lost-property offices. Official offices and venues set their own procedures. Contact details are provided on relevant local pages.
Who is behind this site
The SIREN can be checked in the French government's public business register at annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr.
Contacting official services
Local pages list relevant lost-property offices and venues with their published contact details. People can contact those organizations directly and follow their procedures.
Service limitations
ReportLost cannot guarantee that an item will be found or returned. Paid services cover the specific review, monitoring, and outreach described above. Public offices and venues decide whether to accept reports filed by a third party.
A complementary approach
ReportLost works alongside local lost and found services, public institutions, social media groups, and individual initiatives.
By centralizing information and making it searchable, we aim to reduce fragmentation and improve visibility — without replacing existing systems.