| Featured |
|---|
Sports: |
| Main Menu |
|---|
| Article Topics |
|---|
|
|
sandiego.com Polls |
|
| SanDiego.com Links |
|---|
San Diego Consumer
Searching for Lost Money
and how you can get a piece of the action!
By Consumer Bob
Posted on Mar 05 2007
Last updated Mar 05 2007
I just got a letter in the mail. It’s from a company named U.S. Claims Services out of Bakersfield and they say they found money that belongs to my wife. The letter says if we’re willing to give them $29.95 they’ll help us claim the missing money. Now anytime someone wants ME to send THEM money in order to receive money back… I THROW IT AWAY without thinking twice about it. But I have to admit… this letter is different. Let me tell you why.
In California, corporations, banks and insurance companies have to turn money over to the State when there has been no customer activity for over three years. Sometimes an owner dies and their heirs don’t know about the account. Sometimes the owner simply forgets the account exists or moves without a forwarding address. The bank is supposed to try and find you, but if they don’t have any luck… off goes your money to Sacramento.
What kind of money goes back to the State? According to the Controller’s office the most typical are things like banks accounts, stocks, uncashed money orders, certificates of deposit, terminated insurance policies and estates. Again, if the account sits long enough the money gets handed over to the State. The State can’t spend it… so it sits until you claim it.
So who is sending this letter to me? How can I trust them? And is there really more than 300 bucks waiting for my wife?
Over the years companies have popped up that search for unclaimed assets. They contact individuals and ask for a cut in exchange in helping them claim their money. It is a legal business. It’s sort of a “I know something you don’t know” way of making a buck but it works and in some cases it gets people money they wouldn’t have gotten other wise, even though they have to share some of the money. But you don’t have to pay up.
You can easily do the search yourself. That’s what we did. When I saw the letter I realized what was going on. U.S. Claims Services found money in California we didn’t know about. And if they can find it… so can I. It was easy. In fact it’s fun and can be addicting. You simply go to the California State Controller’s website and do a search. You might be surprised by what you’ll find. Here’s where you go:
That website is the key to lost fortunes. The fortune may not be your own but you won’t know until you look. You search by names and cities. The less specific your search the more you’ll find. The search will give you a name, an address and where the money is coming from. When you’re done searching your own name, search names of friends and families. It’s fun to call them and let them know what you’ve found. Maybe they’ll give you a cut!
The above website is only for lost assets in California. Other states have their own sites, here’s a good link to search for missing money across the country:
| Category | : | Money/Credit |
About the author: CONSUMER BOB-- Bob Hansen has been fighting for the consumer in
San Diego for more than 15 years. He's a television reporter for NBC in
San Diego.
More by this author.
Share this article
by e-mail · del.icio.us · digg this · stumbleupon · reddit · spurl
Subscribe to Consumer
·
Comments
Be the first to comment on this article.
(1)sandiego.com, Inc. invites comments in which readers can respond freely and anonymously if they wish. Comments submitted by readers will be rejected that are deemed by the editors to be damaging to the future of this web site.
(2)Comparison is made from the IP Address identity of the computer placing the posts. Some networks share these addresses between users.
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright 2007 sandiego.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced without written consent.
