The harmless rideshare mistake that ends up being a massive pain

Exclusive: Everyone's forgotten something in a rideshare or know someone who has, whether it was a bag, wallet or phone.

It's a harmless mistake and one that should be easy to fix.

But in the era of mobile apps, two-factor authentication, and constantly surging rideshare demand, getting lost property back can be a nightmare.

READ MORE: Man charged with murder over a year after 60-year-old found dead on NSW South Coast

forget smartphone on car sit, lost smart phone ,

Uber and DiDi, Australia's most popular rideshare platforms, both encourage riders to report lost items in the mobile app first.

But you can't do that if your phone – the third most frequently forgotten item in Ubers last year – is in a car on the other side of town.

"The most effective way to retrieve a lost item is to contact the driver-partner through the app," an Uber spokesperson told 9news.com.au.

"If a phone has been left behind, riders can also log in to their account via a computer to submit a request."

Riders can also report lost items through a friend or relative's Uber app.

9news.com.au understands riders may be charged a $20 fee once an item is returned to compensate the driver.

DiDi also encourages riders to report missing items on the mobile app, or contact support via Facebook or Instagram if they can't access the app.

"When a rider reports an item lost, DiDi's team contacts the driver to see whether they can locate the item," Dan Jordan, head of external affairs at DiDi, told 9news.com.au.

"If located, DiDi facilitates contact so the rider and driver can arrange for the return of the item.

"If the item cannot be located, riders are encouraged to report the matter to police."

READ MORE: China's population falls again as births drop to lowest rate since 1949 communist revolution

Riders may also offer an optional one-off $20 reward to incentivise drivers to return lost items.

It all sounds simple enough, but in practice getting a lost item back can be a nightmare.

Rear window of a black Uber car with the white Uber sticker on the glass.

Jenna, who asked not to have her surname published, forgot her phone in an Uber last month.

"Without my phone, I couldn't get on the app," she told 9news.com.au.

"And when I tried to log in on my laptop at home, it sent an authentication code to my phone which was missing."

Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Leach at Google Play.