A presence detection method for reliably detecting the presence of a portable electronic device at the site of a reference device, comprising the following steps: installing, on a one-time basis, detection software, which is installed on a server, on a reference device and on an electronic device; setting up and/or opening a reference detection account and a participant detection account in the detection software installed on the server; establishing, on a one-time basis, at least one detection requirement for detecting the electronic device via the reference device and storing the at least one detection requirement on the server; entering a reference code via the reference device, wherein the reference code comprises an identification code unambiguously assignable to a reference person and/or a reference event, a first location parameter of the reference device detected via the reference device and/or a first atmospheric parameter detected via the reference device; entering a participant code via the electronic device, wherein the participant code comprises an identification code unambiguously assignable to a participating person, a second location parameter of the electronic device detected via the electronic device and/or a second atmospheric parameter detected via the electronic device; generating a first digital time stamp signature of the reference code and a second digital time stamp signature of the participant code; creating a signed reference code comprising the reference code and the first digital time stamp signature, and a signed participant code comprising the participant code and the second digital time stamp signature; directly coupling, in terms of communication, the reference device and the electronic device, and transmitting the signed participant code by means of this communication coupling to the reference device and/or transmitting the signed reference code by means of this communication coupling to the electronic device; transmitting the signed reference code and the signed participant code to the server, and storing the signed reference code in the reference detection account and the signed participant code in the participant detection account; checking the signed reference code and the signed participant code, and comparing the detection requirement to the reference code and the participant code; generating a first participation confirmation and a second participation confirmation when the detection requirement is met by the reference code and the participant code; and storing the first participation confirmation in the reference detection account and the second participation confirmation in the participant detection account. installing, on a one-time basis, detection software, which is installed on a server, on a reference device and on an electronic device; setting up and/or opening a reference detection account and a participant detection account in the detection software installed on the server; establishing, on a one-time basis, at least one detection requirement for detecting the electronic device via the reference device and storing the at least one detection requirement on the server; entering a reference code via the reference device, wherein the reference code comprises an identification code unambiguously assignable to a reference person and/or a reference event, a first location parameter of the reference device detected via the reference device and/or a first atmospheric parameter detected via the reference device; entering a participant code via the electronic device, wherein the participant code comprises an identification code unambiguously assignable to a participating person, a second location parameter of the electronic device detected via the electronic device and/or a second atmospheric parameter detected via the electronic device; generating a first digital time stamp signature of the reference code and a second digital time stamp signature of the participant code; creating a signed reference code comprising the reference code and the first digital time stamp signature, and a signed participant code comprising the participant code and the second digital time stamp signature; directly coupling, in terms of communication, the reference device and the electronic device, and transmitting the signed participant code by means of this communication coupling to the reference device and/or transmitting the signed reference code by means of this communication coupling to the electronic device; transmitting the signed reference code and the signed participant code to the server, and storing the signed reference code in the reference detection account and the signed participant code in the participant detection account; checking the signed reference code and the signed participant code, and comparing the detection requirement to the reference code and the participant code; generating a first participation confirmation and a second participation confirmation when the detection requirement is met by the reference code and the participant code; and storing the first participation confirmation in the reference detection account and the second participation confirmation in the participant detection account.