Lost & found

When a thing disappears, its QR becomes the way to bring it back: you report it lost, its public page changes face, and the person who finds it writes to you through a relay — without either of you seeing the other's details.

The journey

Reporting an item lost

On the item's record, the Lost & found screen: Report as lost, with

• a reward, optional — it is settled between you and the person who finds it, never through Cegeta;
• a note for yourself, optional: it is never public nor shown to the finder.

A confirmed e-mail address is required. An item that is for sale, stolen or archived cannot be reported lost: bring it back to "Registered" first.

While the item is lost, its public page shows THIS ITEM IS LOST, the Contact the owner anonymously button, and what you set to Only in an emergency: a pet's critical note, and the emergency contacts you offer.

What the person who finds it does

They scan the QR and need no account and no app. The form asks them:

• who to write to — you, or one of the emergency contacts you offer; you are told in any case;
• their message — what they found, where, and how to reach them if they wish;
• optional: a photo (shown to you alone), their location — rounded to about a kilometre — and their e-mail address, only to be told about a reply; it is never shown to you.

A simple sum keeps robots out. They then receive a link to the conversation: it is the only way to read your reply, with no account to create.

The I found this item button also exists when the item is not declared lost: people can always warn you.

The relay

You are told about every report and every message (see your notification preferences). The Conversations of the Lost & found screen show the finder's messages, their approximate location if they shared it, and Reply. No address is exchanged: neither your name, nor your address, nor your e-mail reaches them, and you do not see theirs. A conversation stays open for 30 days.

Closing the loss

• I found it: the loss is closed, the item becomes Found; its page stops announcing the loss and the emergency fields disappear at once. It is back with me, on its record, then brings it back to normal.
• I was mistaken: the report is cancelled, the item becomes Registered again.

Emergency contacts

An item's Emergency contacts screen lists the people to reach if it is found while declared lost — a vet, a relative, a neighbour, a colleague, or a free label ("my sister", rather than a name). For each:

• their e-mail, encrypted: it is how the relay reaches them, it is never shown;
• their phone number, for you alone;
• when to offer them: never (for you only) or when the item is declared lost — offered means a label and a relay button on the public page, never a number;
• the person's consent, which you attest: they are told the first time they are contacted and can withdraw in one click; you are then informed.

A pet

For a dog or a cat, the critical note — ongoing treatment, allergy, "do not approach" — is the first thing the person who finds it reads, while it is declared lost; it disappears with the loss. Offer your vet as an emergency contact.