Apparently, that sinking “have-you-seen-my-phone” feeling is one that many Uber riders have suffered from, considering that phones were the most forgotten items last year, according to the 2026 Uber Lost & Found Index.
In fact, more than 1 million phones were reported missing in the past 12 months, Uber reported. Overall, tens of millions of items are reported missing each year globally, and Uber drivers are encouraged to hold onto any lost items until the rider can be contacted, an Uber spokesperson said.
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There are plenty more phones to lose or misplace, considering that 98 percent of all Americans have cell phones, based on information provided by the Pew Research Center. Wallets ranked second for left behind items, followed by luggage, keys, headphones and clothing. Rounding out the top 10 were passports, glasses, jewelry and laptops.
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Uber’s breakdown of forgetfulness could be aligned to a major fashion force. For spring 2026, Marc Jacobs’ collection referenced “Memory. Loss,” as in what we leave behind and what we carry forward.
In its 10th year, the Uber index doesn’t just show how distracted or oblivious patrons can be, but it also offers a glimpse of trends through the years. The ride sharing specialist planned to show off some of those finds this morning with an Uber vehicle parked near The Vessel at Hudson Yards in New York City. The event was also being planned to play up a safeguard feature on the Uber app that allows riders in select markets to request a dedicated return trip in order to reconnect with the driver and recover a lost item.
In terms of the most forgetful cities, New York topped the field with Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles ranking second through fifth respectively. July 17 had the highest number of reported lost items than any other day of the year. Certain items tended to be left behind on certain days such as wallets on Mondays, bags on Thursdays and glasses on Sundays.
Highlighting societal trends, Labubus, Crocs, jars of sea moss, protein powder, baseball hats, trucker hats, beanies, veneers, gold grillz, dentures, vapes and abandoned bouquets were some of the other left behind items in the past 12 months.
Taking a closer look at the most forgotten beauty and wellness products, sea moss was the top charter. The nutrient-enriched red algae was followed by Abercrombie perfume, Dior lip oil and pink edge control, Aquaphor chapsticks, bundles of hair (extensions we hope), condoms, Airwrap styling tools, Strawberry Shortcake lotion and MAC lip liner in cork.
There were some valuable one-offs that riders forgot to take with them including a Supreme headband, a Balmain navy blazer with gold buttons, a gold Rolex watch, a Diesel cap, Air Jordan 1s, a black Gucci belt and a black Dior shawl.
Some sports fans can be a little flighty too, considering that a Patrick Mahomes signature jersey, an electric skateboard, a golf putter, stadium seats and a Lululemon yoga mat were other forgotten items.
Commercial airlines also have their share of wayward luggage. In 2023, only 1.8 million of the 36.1 million pieces of luggage that were lost, damaged or stolen were gone for good, according to a report by AirHelp. Some airlines and other transportation services turn to Unclaimed Baggage, an Alabama company to upcycle luggage that is truly lost. While 99.5 percent of lost bags are eventually reunited with their owners, the 0.03 percent of checked luggage that is not claimed by passengers after a three-month search is being upcycled in different ways.
Through purchasing agreements with commercial airlines and other travel services, Unclaimed Baggage uses its Alabama processing facility to sort the unclaimed goods in three categories — resell, repurpose and recycle. The clothing, which is professionally cleaned, is primarily from airlines travelers, but there are also abandoned goods from buses, trains, trucks and hotels.
Unclaimed Baggage stocks about 7,000 items each day in its store and thousands more on its online site. Through partnerships with various charities that have been developed over the past 50 years, the company donates goods too.
On Monday, a $40 floral Kenzo dress, a $200 suede Celine skirt, a $600 Thom Browne skirt and a $499 Alexander McQueen black silk georgette cape were among the women’s items being sold online.