USA Lost and Found Directory
This wiki guide is created to provide an answer to the question: "What to do if you have lost or found something in USA?" No matter which city in USA you are in, and no matter what you have lost or found, this guide will provide information on who to call and where to post announcements.
Join in writing this guide.
New York, New York region lost and found
Where to go or call if something is lost or found in New York. To start, check the lost and found map Lafmap, perhaps someone has already found and published an announcement about your lost item. Call all the places where you have been and where you could have lost your item. If it's not there, then publish an announcement on Lafmap www.lafmap.com.
Public Transport
Subways and Trains
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
If you think you lost an item on a train or in a subway station, talk to an MTA representative in the station booth closest to where you lost your property. If it was turned in, it will be at the booth until it is moved to the NYC Transit Lost Property Unit.
If you don’t find it, file a claim with the Lost Property Unit as soon as possible.
Online
Contact the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
Visit the MTA's lost and found website.
By Phone
In Person
The Lost Property Unit is in Manhattan at the 34th Street Penn Station subway stop on the lower mezzanine. You must schedule an appointment to go in person. Appointment is only available if you were contacted to pick up your item.
You must show a driver’s license, automobile registration card, job ID, passport, or another form of valid identification to claim your property.
Take smaller items, such as wallets, tablets or cellphones to the nearest subway station booth agent. For security reasons, agents cannot open the booth door.
Call 511 to arrange to drop off larger items at NYCT Lost & Found.
Taxi
If you lost or found something in a car service, contact the company directly.
Car services include:
Black cars
Address: 3272 Gale Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: +1 718 706 2200
Limousines
Address: 38-17 Crescent Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: +1 (212) 366-6600
Commuter vans
Address: 157-11 Rockaway Blvd. NY 11434
Phone: +1 718 527 5500
Livery cars
Address: 1709 Jerome Ave, Bronx, NY 10453
Phone: +1 718-466-6500
Staten Island Ferry
Visit the Passenger Service Office in the St. George Terminal's waiting room, at 1 Bay Street, Staten Island, next to the NYPD Police Room. It is open Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM.
Police Lost and Found Center
Bronx
43rd Precinct
900 Fteley Avenue (between Story Avenue and Banyer Place)
(718) 542-0888
Brooklyn
76th Precinct
191 Union Street (between Hicks and Henry Streets)
(718) 834-3211
94th Precinct
100 Meserole Avenue (between Lorimer Street and Manhattan Avenue)
(718) 383-3879
Manhattan
17th Precinct
167 East 51st Street (between Lexington and 3rd Avenues)
(212) 826-3211
Central Park Precinct
86th Street Transverse, Central Park
(212) 570-4820
Queens
107th Precinct
71-01 Parsons Boulevard (between 71st and 72nd Avenues)
(718) 969-5100
115th Precinct
92-15 Northern Boulevard (between 92nd and 93rd Streets)
(718) 533-2002
Staten Island
120th Precinct
78 Richmond Terrace (between Wall Street and Hamilton Avenue)
(718) 876-8500
Lost and Found Bureau
Other Places
If you have lost something in dining establishments, hotels, or shops, it's best to look for contacts of the organization where you think you may have lost your item.
Lost Item in Trash
You can report items that were lost in the trash and already collected by the Department of Sanitation. The item must be of significant value.
You must make your report on the same day your lost item was collected with your trash.
Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.
Lost Item in Sidewalk Grating
If you want to get an item that has fallen through a sidewalk grating, you must contact the property owner for assistance. The property owner would have to contact the utility company responsible for the sidewalk grating to request removal of the items.
The City does not help to retrieve these items.
Items in a Catch Basin
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) accepts reports of personal items lost in a catch basin.
You can submit a catch basin search request on the Catch Basin Complaint page.
Search services
General advice
What to do if you lost your phone
If you realize you may have lost your phone, here are a few tips to increase your chances of getting it back:
"Find My Phone" Feature
Start by using the "Find My Device" feature from Google, for Android users. To do this:
- Open the page android.com/find.
- Sign in to your Google account.
- A notification will be sent to your lost device. You'll see on the map where your device is.
- The location may be approximate and may not be precise.
- If the device is not found, you may see its last known location if available.
- If prompted, select Enable Lock & Erase.
- Choose the action you need.
- Play sound: the device will ring at full volume for five minutes, even if it's on silent mode or vibration.
- Secure device: the device will be locked with a PIN or password. If it's not already locked, you can set it up. To help someone return your device, you can add a message or phone number to the locked screen.
- Erase data from the device: all information on the device will be permanently deleted (except data on SD cards). After this, the Find My Device app will no longer work on it.
Apple users can rely on "Find My iPhone." To do this:
- Sign in to iCloud.com/find. Select your iPhone or iPad.
- If available, the map will zoom in to show the device's location. Select "Mark as Lost" and follow the on-screen instructions to leave a phone number and message.
- Select "Activate" to lock your iPhone or iPad using your existing passcode. If there's no passcode on the device, you'll be prompted to create one.
- When you mark your iPhone or iPad as lost, it enters Lost Mode: the device locks with your passcode, the action of payment cards and passes used with Apple Pay is suspended, and you can display a phone number and message on the device for whoever finds it.
- When you select your iPhone or iPad, the map will zoom in to show its location.
Retrace your steps and revisit places you've recently been.
Check common areas like your home, office, or any public places you might have visited. Ask people around you; public places are full of kind people. Politely inquire if anyone has seen or picked up your lost phone.
Contact the police.
If you suspect your phone may have been stolen, report the loss to the police. It's better to have the IMEI of your phone. The IMEI is a unique 15-digit serial number of a mobile phone set by the manufacturer. It can be found on the phone's box or by dialing *#06# on the phone and saving it.
Reach out to security personnel.
If you're in a mall, airport, or public transportation station, security personnel might have some information. It's worth a try!
Borrow a friend's phone to call or send a message to your lost one. Someone might be willing to return it to its rightful owner.
Contact transportation services.
If you think you lost it while traveling on a bus or taxi, contact the transportation services; they might have information on lost items and the procedure for reporting lost items.
Call your service provider.
Get in touch with your mobile service provider. Report the loss, and they might help you track it or temporarily suspend your service.
Check LaFmap.
Visit the LaFmap website: go to www.lafmap.com and see if anyone has reported finding your phone on the lost and found map.
Social media.
Don't forget to act fast and change your passwords to protect your personal information. Stay calm, stay cool, and may the odds be ever in your favor!
What to do if your wallet is lost
First of all, try to remain calm. Panic can complicate clear thinking.
Block your cards
First, call your bank and credit card issuers to report the loss and block your cards. Many institutions have 24/7 customer service for such emergencies. Provide them with the necessary details and request card replacements.
Monitor your accounts
Carefully monitor your bank account and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions. If you notice any suspicious activity, immediately report it to your bank.
Contact the police
If you believe your wallet was stolen, filing a report with the police can be crucial, especially if you've become a victim of identity theft. Some institutions may require a copy of the police report for verification.
Notify relevant institutions
If your wallet contains other important cards or documents (such as a driver's license, social security card, and membership cards), contact the relevant institutions or organizations to report the loss and request replacements.
Retrace your steps
Think about where you last used or saw your wallet. Retrace your steps and check the places you've been to.
Explore LaFmap
Visit the LaFmap website (www.lafmap.com), a platform that displays lost and found items on a map worldwide. You can report your lost wallet and check if someone has found it near you.
Check nearby lost and found bureaus
If you lost your wallet in a public place, contact the nearest businesses or lost and found department.
What to do if jewelry is lost
Losing jewelry can be a significant disappointment, especially if it holds sentimental value to you. Here are a few tips that may help you in this situation:
Recall where you last saw the jewelry: Try to retrace the route you took and remember all the places you were.
Go back along the same route: Sometimes, the jewelry might have been accidentally lost somewhere along the way. Return along the same route and search.
Seek assistance: If you were in a public place or a store, reach out to the staff and ask if they have seen your jewelry.
Check Lafmap: Lafmap is designed to make it easier to return and search for items, using markers for lost and found items on the map for convenience. You can review the areas you were in on the map and check if someone has posted about your loss. Also, post your own announcement with a description and photo, if available, to make it easier for people to find you and return the lost jewelry.
Use search services: Metal detector search services are becoming increasingly popular in Ukraine; you can use such services to try and locate the lost jewelry.
Report to local police or lost and found organizations: Sometimes, people turn in found items to local authorities and organizations.
What to do if a dog, cat or other pet is lost
When a beloved dog, cat, or any other pet goes missing, it can be a very stressful situation, but it's important not to panic and to take decisive action.
Firstly, remember where exactly you last saw your pet. Often, animals don't stray too far, especially if they are familiar with the area. So, start by searching near the place where your pet disappeared.
Spread the word about your missing pet to local residents, neighbors, shops, and veterinary clinics in your area. Stay in touch in case someone spots your lost pet; they may provide valuable information. If your pet is not aggressive, you can ask people to call it and hold onto it until you arrive.
Don't forget to utilize social media and internet resources. Post a photo of your dog in social media and local animal search groups. This can attract more people's attention to your search.
Post an announcement on Lafmap www.lafmap.com; thanks to the map, it's easier to find your announcement and quickly get in touch with you if your pet is spotted somewhere.
Also, reach out to local organizations such as animal shelters or veterinary clinics. Often, they know what to do in such situations and can provide valuable assistance.
Don't forget to post announcements and posters with a photo of your dog in places frequented by people, such as shops or parks.
And, of course, don't lose hope. Sometimes a dog can find its way back home on its own. So, stay optimistic and keep searching. And don't hesitate to seek help from local animal control authorities if you feel you can't cope on your own.
What to do if you find someone's phone
If you've found a mobile phone, remember that it belongs to someone. If you decide to take the found phone home, it may be considered a violation of the law. The best course of action is always to return the item to its rightful owner.
Try to contact the owner
If the phone is dead, charge it and turn it on. The owner may try to call their number before blocking it. Then finding and returning the phone will be much easier. So if you receive an incoming call, be sure to answer and inform that you've found it and are looking for the owner. Ask for information about the owner from the person calling, and if possible, ask them to provide contact details.
If you've found an iPhone and it's in Lost Mode
If "Find My iPhone" is enabled, other users won't be able to use the iPhone except the owner. This happens through activation lock, which prevents the use of the phone even if it's reset to factory settings. Additionally, this feature allows the rightful owner to track the lost device.
If the iPhone is in Lost Mode, it means the owner has logged into iCloud.com and marked the device as lost. You will see a message on the screen informing you about this, as well as a text message from the owner with contact information. Usually, this message contains a phone number or email address to contact the owner.
If the phone is connected to the internet, it automatically sends its location to the owner through iCloud.
Many iPhone users prefer to enable "iCloud Photos," which automatically saves all photos and videos taken on their devices to iCloud. This allows access to images on any iOS or Mac device using the same iCloud account. This is especially convenient when trying to return a lost iPhone to its rightful owner.
Taking photos or videos doesn't require unlocking the iPhone. You can open the camera by tapping the camera icon on the lock screen or swiping left or right. After that, you can take a photo. It's recommended to capture contact information.
If everything goes well, the image will be automatically uploaded to the owner's iCloud Photos account, and they will be able to view it on any of their other devices.
Contact the mobile operator
If you couldn't find the owner using the above methods, contact the mobile operator and inform them about your find. They may provide you with instructions on what to do next.
Take the phone to the police station or lost and found office If you found a phone and can't contact the owner, contact the police or report the find. When receiving the smartphone, the competent authority should issue you a confirmation with detailed information about the case, including your name, address, description of the found phone, as well as the place and time of its discovery. If the phone you found was stolen, you may be asked to testify, even if you're not related to the theft.
Post an announcement
Post an announcement on the map of lost and found Lafmap www.lafmap.com, as it will be easier for the owner to find your announcement and contact you.
Also, try to additionally share the announcement on social media.
What to do if you find someone's documents
If you've found someone's document (passport, driver's license, student ID, bank card) and are looking for the owner of this document, first of all, remember about not disclosing personal data.
There is no exhaustive list of what constitutes personal data and what does not. It's best to follow a simple rule: if certain information can clearly identify a person, then that information is considered personal.
Thus, your passport, driver's license, student ID, or bank card are sources of personal data protected by law.
The law imposes on everyone, even third parties, the obligation to ensure the protection of personal data from unlawful processing and unauthorized access to them. Therefore, in the event of finding documents or cards, the main principle is not to harm their owner.
In the case of finding documents:
If you still want to find the owner of lost documents through social networks, pay attention to the following advice:
- Avoid posting original photos of documents. This attracts scammers' attention and can lead to uncontrolled dissemination of a person's personal data.
- Refrain from disclosing document details (for example, do not indicate passport series and number, date of birth, registered address, etc.).
- In the announcement about the find, limit yourself to mentioning the place of finding, the type of document, and the last name, initials of the owner.
- Consider the chances of your post reaching the document owner. It's doubtful that among 100 people in a community or chat, there is the owner of documents found at a railway station. It's different for a closed group or community of a residential complex where the documents were found, and the owner might actually reside there.
In such a case, it's better to publish an announcement on Lafmap www.lafmap.com. This way, you'll show the approximate location where you found this document. The owner will be able to check the places where they were when they lost their documents on the map and it will be easier, compared to social networks, to find your announcement and contact you.
Police.
Most of the time, we're not familiar with the owner of lost documents, so we cannot "immediately inform the person who lost the documents and return them." A wise decision is to hand over the find to the police – report it on the hotline 102 or contact the nearest police patrol.
Lost and found office.
Somewhat archaic method, many are not even aware of its existence. Despite this, such offices exist in the Kyiv metro, units of the patrol police, and at centers for administrative services provision. Unfortunately, there is no exhaustive list of lost and found offices, so you need to look for them separately in each locality. In Lviv, for example, the lost and found office operates as a full-fledged communal enterprise "Agency of Resources of the Lviv City Council" and provides its services for a fee, the amount of which is determined by the city council.
Lost and found offices, with rare exceptions, are not particularly popular, however, they are an auxiliary way to return lost documents, especially when it comes to loss in public transport or administrative buildings.
In the case of finding a bank card:
- Call the bank's hotline listed on the back of the card and report the find. The bank can contact the immediate owner and inform them about the loss, blockage, and subsequent reissuance of the card, while advising you to destroy the card.
- Hand over the found card to the nearest branch of the respective bank as soon as possible.
Under no circumstances should you keep the card for yourself or try to use it – such actions may be considered fraud or misappropriation of someone else's property!
What to do if you notice a lost dog, cat or other pet
How to act if you've found a lost pet.
Assess the animal's condition
First and foremost, remember about safety precautions. The animal you found may be sick with rabies. Do not rush to approach too closely or catch it manually.
Assess the behavior of the animal and its appearance from a distance.
In an animal sick with rabies:
- Dilated pupils;
- Restless, aggressive behavior;
- Increased salivation or foaming at the mouth.
If you notice any of these symptoms, move away from the animal at a safe distance and immediately inform the proper authorities.
Determine whether the found animal is a pet or a stray
Usually, domestic animals have collars, are approachable to people, and may have clues to their owner. Before taking the animal, ask local residents; perhaps, they know about this animal and its owner.
A clip in the ear indicates that the animal is neutered, vaccinated against rabies, and registered in a database of stray animals. Some dogs may have their own stable territory and a group adapted to street life.
Check for the presence of an ID tag, tattoo, or microchip
An ID tag is a token (sometimes a capsule with a piece of paper) with the animal's name and the owner's phone number. It is attached to the collar or a special cord. Is there an ID tag? Call the owner!
A tattoo is a tattoo on the animal's ear or groin, consisting of numbers and certifying that it is a purebred animal. By the tattoo number, you can find the contacts of the animal breeder through official structures that register purebred animals.
A microchip is a special capsule implanted under the animal's skin. It contains a code with information about the animal. You can check for the presence of a microchip at a veterinary clinic, having previously found out if the clinic has a chip scanner.
Check for lost pet announcements
Go to the website www.lafmap.com; Lafmap uses a map where all lost and found items and animals are marked. Look at the map for the area where the domestic pet was found and nearby areas. Perhaps the owner has already posted an announcement about their lost pet. If there is no such announcement, create your own announcement with a photo of the lost animal; this way, it will be easier for the owner to contact you.
Periodically check specialized groups on social networks and bulletin boards for publications about lost pets.
How to establish contact with a scared dog?
If you see a dog without an owner, wait; perhaps, the owner is already on the way. Try to establish contact with the animal while being cautious.
A frightened animal may react aggressively, so try to calm it down. Speak to it softly and gently, avoiding sudden movements. Offer food or water, but most importantly, show care and compassion.