It’s easy to imagine that you’d never see something again if it got confiscated while going through TSA security. But there’s a website that actually makes it possible to get an item back…or at least a similar item.
Govdeals.com is basically like an eBay for confiscated items that state agencies want to unload. The TSA doesn’t get the money from it either, that goes to the company who took the stuff off their hands to begin with.
Popular items on the site include pocket knives and corkscrews, but they also have things like couches and microwaves. Other confiscated and lost items from airports often end up at surplus stores.
So yes, you might have to buy back your own belongings if you do happen to track them down. But if it’s a sentimental item that’s been lost it might actually be worth it.
