How to Post a Lost or Found Item the Right Way

Before you start: Lost or Found?

The first choice matters most. If the item is yours and you lost it, pick "Lost." If you found something that belongs to someone else, pick "Found." This decides which search results your listing shows up in.

The difference isn't just a label. In a "Found" listing you'll later ask for a secret detail to identify the true owner. In a "Lost" listing you connect with whoever returns it. Two scenarios, two logics.

Creating the listing, step by step

The whole process takes a few minutes and is completely free. Fill each step carefully and the response comes faster.

1. 1Choose the type: "Lost" for your own item, "Found" for something you picked up.
2. 2Set the category — document, keys, phone, wallet, pet, and so on. The right category puts the listing in front of the right people.
3. 3Upload clear photos — good light, several angles, identifying marks visible.
4. 4Write a precise title and description: what, where, when. Be specific.
5. 5Mark the approximate area on the map. A district or street is enough — you'll share the exact spot later in chat.
6. 6If you're posting a "Found" listing, set a secret detail only the true owner would know. It never appears in the public listing.
7. 7Review and publish. From there, replies arrive in the in-app chat.

Writing a title and description that get found

The title is the face of your listing. "Lost phone" tells no one anything. "Black iPhone near Nizami metro, 14 June" jumps out at the person searching. Concrete words get found in search.

In the description, answer three questions: what, where, when. Note the brand, colour, size, and contents in general terms. If it's a wallet, describe the general contents — never full card or document numbers.

Deliberately leave one detail out. It will later serve as the secret detail for verifying the owner.

The photo guide

People look at the photo more than the text. One good shot beats dozens of words — but only if the item is clearly visible.

• Shoot in daylight or a bright room; shadows hide details.
• Take several angles — front, back, side.
• Show identifying marks up close: a scratch, a pattern, a keychain, a case, a sticker.
• Keep the background plain so the item stands out.
• In a "Found" listing, deliberately don't show one mark — keep it as the secret detail.

The secret detail: real proof of ownership

The secret detail is something only the true owner would know: the amount on a receipt in the wallet, where the scratch is on the phone, the shape of the keychain. You set it yourself, and the listing never shows it.

A good secret detail is specific and checkable but not visible in the photo. "Black wallet" is a poor choice — everyone sees that. "A blue ASAN card and a 3 manat note inside" is a good one, because only the owner knows it.

The claimant has to state this detail in chat. Get it right, and they're the owner. Only you and the moderators can see the detail — never the other party — so no one can read the answer and copy it.

What happens after you post

Once the listing is live, replies start arriving in the in-app chat. All communication stays inside the platform — your phone number isn't needed.

Your number is private by default and never shown. If you want, you can choose to publish it on your own listing — but that's optional and usually unnecessary. The chat is enough on its own.

Verify ownership in chat, then meet somewhere safe: a police station, a bank, an ASAN service centre, or a busy public place in daylight. Share the exact spot only at this stage.

The most common mistakes

Most listings fail for the same handful of reasons. Avoid these and you're already ahead of most people.

• Putting a phone number in the text. It exposes your number to everyone and invites abuse — keep contact in chat.
• A vague title like "lost item" or "please help." It surfaces in no search at all.
• A listing with no photo. People don't trust what they can't see and scroll past.
• Publishing your exact home address or find spot. It's a safety risk — show only the approximate area.
• In a "Found" listing, revealing everything and leaving no secret detail. Then there's nothing left to verify the owner with.

The bottom line

A good listing isn't complicated: the right type, a clear photo, a specific title, an approximate map, and a smart secret detail. Five minutes of care is the difference between an item coming back and being gone for good.

Now gather your details, hold the phone up to the light for the photo, and post. The person on the other end is already looking.