Wow, I Actually Found Some Unclaimed Money

July 12, 2011 By Jonathan Ping 17 Comments
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Over the years, I’ve read numerous articles about “missing money” that the government may be holding for me. I would always enter my name, but there was never any unclaimed property for me… until today!

I was reading an Businessweek article about how California and many other states were using the interest from all their unclaimed money from things like dormant savings accounts to bridge their budget gaps. Even Warren Buffett is owed $20 from an old escrow account.

I visited the California Unclaimed Property page and found that I was owed $75 from an unclaimed check from “DSL SERVICES LITIGATION ACCOUNT”, which I can only assume is the result of being part of some class action settlement. I’ll have to send in a copy of my driver’s license and Social Security card for identity verification.

You can find your state-specific unclaimed property page via Unclaimed.org. You should search in any state where you have lived. MissingMoney.com is a related site that will search several participating databases all at once, but not all of them (like California, for instance). Finally, also check out TreasuryHunt.gov to locate any Treasury bonds and savings bonds using your Social Security Number.

While looking around, I saw several other official-sounding websites offering to locate missing money for a fee. Not surprisingly, one of them always “found” $156.16 in my name, whether it was James Smith or Iam Notsosmarten. What a scam, so watch out.

Filed Under: Frugal Living
Last updated: February 9, 2017
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Comments

  1. Matt says
    July 12, 2011 at 3:42 am

    I regularly checked these sites for myself about a year ago and found some lost money. Hadn’t thought about it much since I knew my name was clean and I had found all of my lost funds. Searched my Mom and Dad since they have moved a few times in the past few years. Found him an old dividend or check.

    Thanks for the reminder Jonathan.

    Reply
  2. vijaianand says
    July 12, 2011 at 5:28 am

    Interesting info. I tried my state but not lucky enough to find any free money. Good luck to others…

    Reply
  3. Andy says
    July 12, 2011 at 6:13 am

    If did this a few months back and found three items totalling around $500 from a state I lived in two moves ago. It took about six weeks but the State Treasury sent me my check. Woo hoo!

    Reply
  4. Jeremy says
    July 12, 2011 at 6:48 am

    Great tip! I found $115 due my wife, although it is apparently still being transferred to the state so cannot be accessed yet.

    Reply
  5. Alexandria says
    July 12, 2011 at 7:18 am

    That’s interesting.

    I have checked a few times over the years, but figured I am too careful to ever *lose* money like that. (Plus, we rarely move!!)

    But, your post proves the point that it never hurts to check.

    Reply
  6. John says
    July 12, 2011 at 12:51 pm

    Great. Found some money from 2003. Less than $100 but yay!!

    Reply
  7. Larry says
    July 12, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Thanks! Money from BedBath is coming to me.

    Reply
  8. Jenna, Adaptu Community Manager says
    July 13, 2011 at 11:59 am

    I’ve search those websites before for my name and my family’s last name. No such luck. But very exciting for you! Congrats!

    Reply
  9. Bucky says
    July 13, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    I did this a few years back but didn’t find anything. But did it again today and found $88, nice! I’m going to add this to my annual checklist.

    Reply
  10. bgdc says
    July 13, 2011 at 10:25 pm

    Found about $5 in various credit card rebates. Yeah not worth the time…

    Reply
  11. Daniel says
    July 14, 2011 at 12:04 am

    I just did this and found something for my dad. It’s under $100 (that’s all MA would tell me) but it’s pretty cool! Seems like an easier way of making money than clipping coupons!

    Reply
  12. Mmlo says
    July 14, 2011 at 2:45 am

    WOW! I found $1900 under my girlfriend’s name (some sort of student refund)… quite a nice surprise.

    Reply
  13. Tyrone Biggums says
    July 15, 2011 at 11:53 am

    Cool, thanks! Found a $100+ account in MA under my mother’s name. I told her to submit a claim.

    Reply
  14. DataIsGold says
    July 19, 2011 at 12:32 pm

    Wow! So many people owe me money, I can’t believe it.

    Reply
  15. plin says
    September 13, 2011 at 10:02 pm

    I am quite curious why they don’t just mail the check directly since they have the address on file for a lot of unclaimed funds

    Reply
  16. Akshay says
    May 26, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    Wow! I found lost rebate check that were 8 years old.

    Reply
  17. Shell says
    July 7, 2012 at 3:44 pm

    Found something under 100 from gas company

    Reply

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