For a few months now our valet department has in its possesion a set of keys with no-one claiming them.
On the keyring there a number of store “preferred customer” discount cardlets which printed on the back of some say:
“if found, drop in any mailbox…POSTAGE GUARANTEED”
I brought this to my boss’ attention, but he said that dosen’t mean the keys are returned to the owner (like they have a way of identifying the owner by the cardlet’s bar code or something), it simply means the cardlet alone makes its way back to the store.
Yes, it works if the sponsor of the key fob is still in buisiness.
Not only that, but if there is any identifying info on the item, the US Postal Service has a “found in mails” department (or process anyway) that will try to return it to the owner. I have gotten back a lost wallet this way, and a checkbook that I accidently “mailed” with the stack of bills I was paying.
Hotels used to do it all the time, until they had to switch to keycards. People would check out and walk off with their keys, so they had a tag that allowed people to mail them back. It was cheaper to pay the postage than to make a new key.
I am customer to one of these services (actually not for myself - I ordered one of these key fobs as a gift for a friend and used a “buy two, get one for free” offer, so I got two fobs of that sort at home for future gift purposes).
According to their promotional material, they have been in business for about 20 years, and they have contracts with a large number of postal administrations worldwide, so their service should work in many countries. Basically, when you order their fob, you get a registration card along with it which you complete and return to them. They register your address, and a number engraved in the fob allows them to identify the customer if the keyring gets lost. They say they will mail the entire keyring to you and charge you only their own costs of shipping, provided that your contract with them is still running (you purchase the fob along with a five or ten years “license,” which you can extend by paying an additional fee after expiry).
So if the company is legit - which I have no reason to doubt -, I’d say yes, they will actually mail the keyring to you, but at your cost.
War Amps in Canada also provides that service. Since they are a reputable charity, I assume they are telling the truth. You get a tag with a nine digit number to attach to your keys. On the back it says “Finder call 1-800-250-3030 or deposit in any mailbox”.
My university alumni organization has serial numbered fobs that serve the same purpose, although I’ve never tried to test that theory and god willing never will. :eek: Given that we’re a large and well known university, I’m guessing there would be a stink if this were false.