How Much Was I Rewarded for Finding Three Smartphones?

In the last year, I have found three high end smartphones. I returned all three, but you can really increase the odds of getting your phone back if you make it easy to return.

Boost your luck and make it easy for the finder to do the right thing by doing this one super simple thing: place a piece of paper with the name, phone number, and email address of two contacts who you can reach to get it back. As a bonus, add these two items: which phone network it’s on and that the phone can be returned there and, if you’re willing, an offer of a reward for returning it.

Of the three phones I found, none of them did any of this. One put the phone in lost mode so it screamed some awful noise before they even tried to call it to get it back which was a terrible strategy. Eventually they did decide to call it and I took it back to them (30 minutes out of my way). The second one came back to where they left it and I was trying to figure out what to do with it. I happily gave it back. The third one I picked up in a crosswalk before it got run over or taken by someone who would keep it. They called the phone quickly and I returned it immediately and unharmed.

Make it easy on yourself, get a slip of paper and write the following on it, then slip it in the case behind the phone or tape it to the phone itself:

THANK YOU FOR FINDING AND RETURNING MY PHONE!

I’M EXCITED TO REWARD YOU!

This phone belongs to: (your name)

Please notify (name) at (email) and (phone)

and

(name) at (email) and (phone)

that you have found it so we can meet up soon. If you’d prefer, it’s an (network name) phone and can be dropped off to any of their stores.

Thank you for returning this important item to me! You know how devastating and difficult it is to replace them.

With gratitude,

(your name)

Getting your phone back when you lose it is close to priceless when you combine the value of the phone plus the emotional and intellectual effort to replace and set up a new one- this is ten times as true if you’re traveling or have important photos on it.

Let the good person who finds your device get it back to you easily- and if you’re so moved (and always if you’ve promised to do so), reward them for it!

(And none of the three people whose phones I found offered or gave me anything. 😕 )