Finding someone's wallet, phone or keys puts you in a small but important position: you can make a stranger's very bad day much better. Doing it right also protects you — from accusations, from handling someone's private data, and from breaking rules you may not know exist.
First: what not to do
- Do not use anything you find — no cards, cash, tickets or transport passes. Even with good intentions this can be a criminal offence.
- Do not post photos of documents (ID, cards, passports) on social media. It exposes the owner to identity fraud.
- Do not hand an item to someone who simply claims it without checking they are the owner.
- Do not try to unlock a phone or go through its contents.
Where to hand in a found item
- Found it inside a business, hotel, venue or on transport? Give it to staff — the owner is likely to contact them first. Ask for their name and note the time, in case you need to show you handed it in.
- Found it in a public place? Hand it to the police or the local lost property office (in many countries the town or city runs one).
- Passports and ID cards: hand them to the police, or to the embassy or consulate of the issuing country. They can reach the owner securely.
- Bank cards: you can cut them in half or hand them to the issuing bank's branch.
Item-by-item tips
A phone
Leave it switched on if you can; the owner may call it or track it. Many phones show emergency contact or "lost mode" details on the lock screen. If it rings, answer and arrange a safe handover in a public place or at a police station.
A wallet
Look for a business card or a contact card — but only to identify the owner. Do not remove anything. If you cannot reach them quickly, hand it to the police with the contents untouched.
Keys
Keys rarely identify their owner. Hand them to the nearest business if you found them in or outside one, otherwise to the police or the lost property office.
What the law usually expects of finders
Rules differ by country, but the principle is similar almost everywhere: a finder must make a reasonable effort to return the item to its owner or hand it to the authorities, and keeping it is not allowed.
Germany is a good example of how detailed this can be. Under the German Civil Code (BGB), a finder must notify the owner or report the find to the authorities without delay (§965 BGB); finds worth up to €10 do not need to be reported. The finder is entitled to a finder's reward (§971 BGB): 5% of the value up to €500 and 3% of the value above that. If the owner is not found, ownership can pass to the finder after a waiting period. Other countries set different rules and values — when in doubt, hand the item to the police or a lost property office and ask.
Returning it through DokiFinder
If you would rather help the owner directly, you can post the found item on DokiFinder (a free account is required to post). Describe it without revealing the details only the owner would know, and add where and when you found it. DokiFinder's matching compares your listing with lost-item reports and connects you with the likely owner.
- The owner places your reward in escrow before you are put in contact, so you are not chasing a promise.
- Rewards follow a transparent formula based on BGB §971, with a minimum per item category — for example €30 for a wallet, €80 for a smartphone, €50 for a passport.
- The reward is released once the owner confirms the handover, after you complete a one-time identity verification.
- You can also choose to donate your reward to a charity partner.
Lost something yourself? Start with our guides to a lost wallet, lost phone or lost keys.
FAQ: Found items
Can I keep something I found if nobody claims it?
Only if the law in your country allows it, usually after reporting the find and waiting a set period. Keeping an item without reporting it can be treated as theft.
Am I entitled to a reward?
In some countries, such as Germany, finders have a legal right to a finder's reward. In others it is up to the owner. On DokiFinder the reward is agreed up front and held in escrow.
Is it safe to meet the owner?
Meet in a public place, or hand the item to the police or venue staff instead. On DokiFinder, chat stays on the platform and the reward is secured before contact.
I found a passport. Who do I give it to?
The police, or the embassy or consulate of the country that issued it. Do not post photos of it online.