Can someone message me without creating an account?

Guest Messaging

Finders don't need an itemID account to contact you. They can send messages as guests — directly from the chat on your item page.

How Guest Messaging Works

1. Finder scans your QR code
2. They see the item page with a chat interface
3. They write and send a message
4. The message is delivered to you instantly
5. Optionally, the finder can share their location and email to receive a reply link

Anti-Spam Protection

Guest messages are protected by multiple layers of spam prevention — including rate limiting and bot detection — so you only receive genuine messages.

Guest Replies

If a finder shares their email, they'll receive a secure link to continue the conversation when you reply. This link is time-limited for security.

In Your Dashboard

Guest conversations appear in your messages alongside regular chats. They're marked with a special icon so you can tell them apart.

When a Guest Creates an Account

If a guest who messaged you later creates an itemID account with the same email, their conversations are automatically linked to their new account. You’ll be notified by email (and push notification if your tier supports it and you have it enabled) so you know you can now chat with them in real-time instead of via reply links.

This linking happens for conversations from the last 14 days. Older conversations are still linked to the new account, but you won’t receive a notification for those since the situation is likely resolved.

You can control this notification in your notification preferences under “Guest account registration.”