Found a wallet? Here's what to do.

In the first ten minutes

1. Look around. The owner may have just stood up from that table or stepped off that bus. Ask the people nearby, or the staff, if anyone has been looking for a wallet.
2. Check the outside. Look for a lost-and-found sticker, a QR code or a printed "if found" label. These exist so you can reach the owner without opening anything.
3. Look inside only for a name or contact. A business card, a note with a phone number, or the name on an ID is enough. You don't need to go through receipts or count the cash.
4. Reach out. Call or message if you found a number. If all you have is a name, a message through a social network is usually better than turning up at an address on an ID.
5. If that doesn't work, hand it in. See below.

If it has a QR code sticker

Point your phone camera at it. A lost-and-found sticker opens a page that lets you reach the owner, often with a Call button, without either of you sharing more than you want to.

If it's a TangoTag, the page says "You found something of" and the owner's name. Depending on what they chose, you can call or text them, email them, or leave a short note with a way to reach you and, if you like, your location. They get it by email right away. You don't need an app or an account. See the page a finder gets, or read how it works from both sides.

One caution with any QR code: you shouldn't have to download an app, sign in or pay to return a wallet. If a page asks for that, close it and hand the wallet in instead.

Where to hand it in

• Where you found it, if someone is in charge: the shop counter, the restaurant's host, the gym or hotel front desk. Owners usually retrace their steps first.
• The transit company's lost and found, if you found it on a bus, train or plane, or in a station or airport.
• The local police, if there's nowhere else, or if it's late. A non-emergency number or front desk is fine.

Ask for the person's name or a reference number, and if you've already messaged the owner, tell them where you left it.

What not to do

• Don't take photos of cards or IDs, even to help. Photos get shared and saved in places you don't control.
• Don't remove the cash or cards to keep them safe. Hand it over as you found it.
• Don't post the owner's name or a photo of their ID publicly to find them. Describe the wallet and where you found it instead.
• Don't arrange to meet a stranger somewhere private. A shop, a station or a police front desk works.

Lose things yourself?

Most people who find a wallet want to give it back. What stops them is having no easy way to reach you. A lost-and-found sticker on your wallet, keys and phone case gives the next finder that way, without printing your number or address on anything.