One of my favorite little hobbies is to enter the names of my friends and family in websites run by states and try to find money for them!
It's like buying a lottery ticket and winning small to modest amounts of cash, but it costs nothing to play.
Each state is obligated to hold onto certain funds that were supposed to be sent to residents, but we're not because of a change in address, the death of the party, or some snafu. Many of these are refunds from utilities, banks, and insurance companies, as well as rebates from retailers. These monies are called Escheated Funds, and amount to unclaimed property. Sometimes the funds are easy to claim, sometimes more difficult. Sometimes the amount is just a few cents and not worth the trouble, and at other times can be thousands of dollars!
Often they're holding funds for someone who is deceased. Sometimes it's the contents of an expired and subsequently closed safe deposit box.
Here is the site for California. I've been on the sites for NY, MD, and other states. Just google Escheated funds or unclaimed property and include the name of your state.
https://ucpi.sco.ca.gov/UCP/Default.aspx
I have personally discovered many hundreds of dollars for people I know, who are always shocked. Sometimes, I just print out the page with the person's name and the institution that owes them the money and pass it onto them anonymously.
Warning: some people, for some reason, are uncomfortable with the fact that you entered their name in a public website. I'm not sure why, but be aware.
Check your own name first, of course. Good luck!
(Btw, I've never found money for myself.)
Unclaimed Property/Escheated Funds
- Jazztonight
- Posts: 1333
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Unclaimed Property/Escheated Funds
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Nietzsche
Re: Unclaimed Property/Escheated Funds
I like those sites too. Here's a more centralized site, although it doesn't search EVERY state:
http://missingmoney.com/
Also try http://treasuryhunt.gov for matured savings bonds.
Edit to add: A directory of state sites: http://www.unclaimed.org/
http://missingmoney.com/
Also try http://treasuryhunt.gov for matured savings bonds.
Edit to add: A directory of state sites: http://www.unclaimed.org/
Re: Unclaimed Property/Escheated Funds
I had deposited my money in a CD in a bank. I let it renew automatically
and some smart person at bank forwarded it to government as unclaimed
money. Good thing is that I am still alive. Now to claim the money, I have
to input my personal information (including my Social security number) on a
web site called :
https://www.missingmoney.com/
Before I put all my information to make a claim, I wanted to know if this
is a legitimate site. Any advice is welcome.
Thank you.
and some smart person at bank forwarded it to government as unclaimed
money. Good thing is that I am still alive. Now to claim the money, I have
to input my personal information (including my Social security number) on a
web site called :
https://www.missingmoney.com/
Before I put all my information to make a claim, I wanted to know if this
is a legitimate site. Any advice is welcome.
Thank you.
Re: Unclaimed Property/Escheated Funds
Tekno,
The Missing Money site is legit, but it's not the one that is asking for your social security number. What Missing Money does is provide a centralized page to search and link with all the various individual state web sites. (I don't think all 50 states participate, but a lot do.)
Missing Money only asks for your name, and yields results from any states it finds. When you find a result that looks like you, it links to the state's web page where you do the actual redemption. The state is likely to ask for the social security number.
EDIT: I take that back. It had been a while since I last looked up my name on that site, and I think they now give options either to link directly to the state's site or enter the info on Missing Money's wesbsite to pass it on to the state. You can always click the link on the left (your state's name under "State Contact Information") to go directly to the state website if you don't feel comfortable with the middleman. That's what I would do.
The Missing Money site is legit, but it's not the one that is asking for your social security number. What Missing Money does is provide a centralized page to search and link with all the various individual state web sites. (I don't think all 50 states participate, but a lot do.)
Missing Money only asks for your name, and yields results from any states it finds. When you find a result that looks like you, it links to the state's web page where you do the actual redemption. The state is likely to ask for the social security number.
EDIT: I take that back. It had been a while since I last looked up my name on that site, and I think they now give options either to link directly to the state's site or enter the info on Missing Money's wesbsite to pass it on to the state. You can always click the link on the left (your state's name under "State Contact Information") to go directly to the state website if you don't feel comfortable with the middleman. That's what I would do.
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- Posts: 117
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2020 11:56 am
Re: Unclaimed Property/Escheated Funds - Found Money?
Just listened to a podcast episode that updated folks that ‘found’ money that had been escheated.
Thought, after searching archives, I’d bump this - as yesterday I was searching on behalf of family at various states’ sites.
No luck for me, but there’s a whole lot of money out there waiting to be claimed.
Thought, after searching archives, I’d bump this - as yesterday I was searching on behalf of family at various states’ sites.
No luck for me, but there’s a whole lot of money out there waiting to be claimed.
Re: Unclaimed Property/Escheated Funds
I found $20.00 from Affinion Group Inc, have no clue about them.
Then $5.23 from over payed newspaper subscription.
Finally a lot of small credits from Credit cards that were cancelled, none more than .17 cents
Will the state send me a check or the individual company?
Then $5.23 from over payed newspaper subscription.
Finally a lot of small credits from Credit cards that were cancelled, none more than .17 cents
Will the state send me a check or the individual company?