How your report counts

After acceptance, the receipt says Report sent or Sent as a tip, and How it counts explains how this particular update contributes. The explanation is based on the accepted report, and can change as its photo is checked. Different collectibles in one submission may have different explanations.

Away from the selected store, without a location fix, or with location too imprecise to support being there, your accepted update counts as a tip with less influence on the map. You can still contribute useful information; it does not count as a verified in-store sighting.

With a usable location within the store’s reporting area, the update counts as an in-store report. The reporting distance is 250 meters from the selected pin, subject to location accuracy. A photo is optional for a normal report. A verified photo adds support; it is separate from simply being nearby.

A verified photo, an in-store report, and a Confirmed drop are different things. Photo verification checks the picture against the observation. A drop’s status summarizes the combined evidence. Neither label promises stock will remain available when you arrive.

If the receipt says the update needs independent confirmation, it is held from affecting the map until that happens. If a photo contradicts the observation, How it counts explains that the update does not affect the map. An inconclusive photo is different from a contradicting photo.

A report can be received successfully without creating an obvious live pin. Its influence, age, the other observations, and your current map filters all matter. Repeating the same observation is not independent confirmation.

Map influence describes how the report contributes to a drop. Reputation is your longer-term contribution record. A successful send is not a promise that points are immediately awarded, and an empty store pin does not imply a report failed.

On iPhone, scroll to My reports in Profile; on Android, open report history from Profile to see each result and any score change. This My reports list is separate from My bug reports in Settings. A report can be pending, corroborated, partially supported, unverifiable, or contradicted. Unverifiable means there was not enough timely evidence to resolve it; it does not mean you invented it.

If a result against your report is wrong, open that report and use Dispute this result while available. The dispute window is seven days. Explain what you saw and why the result is inaccurate, then wait for the review rather than submitting duplicate disputes.