Boomerang IT

Having recently lost a camera while traveling, IT (namely Emily) is especially intrigued with BoomerangIt, a lost-and-found service that relies on a secure Internet database and numbered labels to facilitate the return of lost items to their rightful owners. The process is simple. After affixing one of BoomerangIt's "tamper-resistant" ID labels ($9.95 for the least expensive package) to a "valuable item" (defined on the website as anything from a cell phone to a chainsaw), the owner enters the item's label number as well as a description of the item into BoomerangIt's database. If and when the owner loses her, say, digital camera and if and when a Good Samaritan finds said camera, the finder can contact BoomerangIt via the toll-free number and/or Web address on the label. Since the website is readable in six different languages, if the owner loses her camera in, say, Germany, the Deutsch-speaking finder can easily report the missing item.

Beside the price of the initial investment (labels), the owner must also pay a $10 return fee, plus all shipping and handling costs, if their lost or stolen item is returned. As a reward to the finder, BoomerangIt sends them a pack of free labels. While the site doesn't offer any statistical evidence proving the success of their method, they do claim that "BoomerangIt is also a theft deterrent, as studies indicate that thieves are less likely to steal marked property due to resale difficulties." With this, IT was convinced, and has decorated a cell phone and camera with the labels we received for free (swag alert!) along with a press release.