Frequently Asked Questions

  • For fost+lound, RFID & NFC (Near Field Communication) are the quiet little heroes that makes the whole “lost-and-found magic” happen.

    In simple terms:

    • NFC is a short-range wireless technology that lets two devices talk to each other when they’re close — usually within a few centimetres. Think of it like a secret handshake between the item’s tag and a smartphone.

      • No batteries or charging — NFC tags are passive, so they last for years.

      • Quick and intuitive — just a tap, no typing or QR scanning required.

      • Works on most modern smartphones without extra apps.

      • Tamper-resistant — data is securely encoded during production, so tags can’t be copied or altered easily.

    • RFID on the other hand works at a greater distance than NFC. This allows us to locate readers in lost property areas and not require tags to be tapped for them to be registered as found.

      • No batteries or charging — RFID tags are passive, so they last for years.

      • No close-proximity scanning required.

      • Cannot be scanned by smartphones.

      • Tamper-resistant — data is securely encoded during production, so tags can’t be copied or altered easily.

    The combination of RFID & NFC into a single tag gives us the best of both worlds - scanning capability over a distance of up to 10m (think runner tracking at a road-race) and smartphone scanning for personal tracking (the same technology as Paywave with your phone) together they are helping lost items find their way home before they vanish into the black hole of school lost property forever.

  • NFC tags are passive

    • They don’t have a battery or GPS.

    • They only “wake up” when a smartphone is brought close — usually less than 4cm away.

    • That means they cannot broadcast a location or be tracked remotely.

    No personal information is stored on the tag

    • The NFC chip just holds a unique ID that links to a secure record in the fost+lound system.

    • Your name, contact details, and child’s info are kept on a protected database — never on the tag itself.

    Privacy by design

    • When someone taps the tag, they only see the return instructions you’ve chosen (like “return to school office”).

    • They can’t see your phone number or home address unless you explicitly set that.

    • Every scan is logged so you know when and where your item was last tapped.

    Absolutely no tracking of children

    • Because NFC requires a tap at close range, it can’t be used to follow a child’s movements.

    • The only time the system records anything is when someone physically finds and taps the lost item.

    So in short — fost+lound NFC tags help reunite items, not track people. They’re safe, private, and designed specifically so your child’s privacy stays intact.

  • For parents, the cost of a fost+lound pack will depend on the price set by your school’s committee or fundraising group.

    Each committee decides the selling price based on:

    • The size of the school – larger schools may order in bigger volumes.

    • The type of packs chosen – for example, packs with a mix of clothing tags, bag tags, and stick-on tags.

    • The volume ordered – bigger orders often mean a lower cost per pack.

    Because every school is different, we work directly with committees to create the best value for their needs.

    School committees: Contact us to discuss your pricing options, volume discounts, and how fost+lound can boost your fundraising efforts while helping reunite lost items quickly.

  • At School

    Most items can be collected from your school’s Lost & Found area. Your child can collect them directly, or the school may arrange for them to be sent to their classroom.

    With Registered Finders

    If your school has partnered with Registered Finders in the community – like local sports clubs, shopping centres, bus services, or youth centres – your lost item may be picked up from their designated collection point.

    For example:

    • The local soccer club might have a collection table Saturdays, 8am–11am.

    • The bus service might return found items to their depot’s front desk.

    This means your child’s belongings can find their way home even faster – whether they were lost at school, at soccer practice, or anywhere else in the community.

    While we can’t guarantee that your child’s item will be returned to them, we can be certain that if it does make it’s way to Lost Property you will find out quickly and greatly improve the chance of it being reunited.