Unclaimed Property

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
I always used to see these T.V. ads and newspaper listings and always thought "What sort of idiot doesn't know they have property/funds out there!?"

Well, turns out I'm that sort of idiot.

Just claimed my $1,300 in unclaimed Upromise funds from the Wisconsin DOR. (6-8 weeks for processing). Christmas bonus!!!
 

SlitheryDee

Lifer
Feb 2, 2005
17,252
19
81
That last sentence doesn't make sense to me. What's upromise and why were they holding $1300 in unclaimed funds. Furthermore, why would they give said $1300 to you?
 

waffleironhead

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2005
7,045
547
136
Yeah, I got some money from them as well. I bought some glasses at shopko, and they wanted to be paid in advance. They then submitted my insurance claim. Insurance paid shopko. Then I moved before the shopko check got to me...so shopko just handed the funds over to the DOR. Completely forgot about it.

I have checked most of my family and even some friends. My brother has some money from Wendy's sitting in Illinois from a high school job he walked out on and never got his last check. Illinois DOR has been holding his money for almost 30 years. He is too lazy to claim the money.
 

K7SN

Senior member
Jun 21, 2015
353
0
0
I'm still trying to get $6.70 from when I switched from my local phone company to using my cable modem. The old company changed their name once to often and I gave up on them. They had 30 years of the same address and they sent my refund to the state's unclaimed property.

Everyone should check that in your state unclaimed property once a year.

I could get the six dollars by spending $5.00 to prove who I am. My landline went from Southern Nevada Telephone Company to Centel to Sprint to Sprint/Nextel to Embarq to Century Link and in all those records they could find my address to send me my refund. Ballerdash - they get tired of my emails and send me the money and I'll by a hamburger with it.
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
That last sentence doesn't make sense to me. What's upromise and why were they holding $1300 in unclaimed funds. Furthermore, why would they give said $1300 to you?

UPromise was a college savings fund thing I used a long time ago - %age of purchases on a registered CC's went to a fund. Admittedly I totally forgot about it. I just logged into the UPromise website (old login still worked!) and it shows nothing about this much money. Account shows $37 in it... but $900+ earned over lifetime? Totally confusing, but I guess I will take whatever money they are offering me :)
 

NuclearNed

Raconteur
May 18, 2001
7,869
361
126
A few years ago I was looking through one of the unclaimed property websites and stumbled upon some stocks that my deceased grandparents had owned. My dad had power of attorney over their estate, so he was able to claim them. Turned out to be worth a few thousand bucks.
 

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
68
91
I had $1000+ from an old house closing, my uncle had $1000+ from an insurance company and my mother in law had $200 from an old utility company.

I check it for myself and friends/family every few months.
It's legit.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,842
4,785
146
Just checked and apparently I have $51 to claim... Interesting, it is from AT&T (used for cable/internet) ~5 years ago at my old old old appartment..... Which seems normal... except it was just reported this year.
 
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Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
What is "odd" is that they couldn't/didn't/wouldn't contact me.
The listing in the newspaper had my full name and exact home address which I have been at for 15+ years.
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
Just checked and apparently I have $51 to claim... Interesting, it is from AT&T (used for cable/internet) ~5 years ago at my old old old apparently..... Which seems normal... except it was just reported this year.


Payroll checks are normally 1 year property
AP Checks (vendor checks) are 2, 3 or 5 year property depending on state.
Customer credits are 3 or 5 year property depending on state.

<----Overseas unclaimed property reporting for Fortune 500 company.

Any questions, just ask me.
 

Linux23

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
11,371
741
126
Will bookmark this. I already found money for me at another site. My dad has money that he can claim from my mom who passed away but he is not interested
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
What is "odd" is that they couldn't/didn't/wouldn't contact me.
The listing in the newspaper had my full name and exact home address which I have been at for 15+ years.

Depending on your state unclaimed property rules, they may not be required to contact you. That said, most companies will make attempts and most states do have "due diligence" rules. It's only if they get audited and can't prove that they attempted to contact you that it becomes a problem.
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
Keep in mind, not all states use Missingmoney.com or these other search engines. You may need to go to the state site to search. You should generally only be concerned with the states that you were a resident of, as that is the state a company must report the property to.
 

John Connor

Lifer
Nov 30, 2012
22,757
618
121
I always used to see these T.V. ads and newspaper listings and always thought "What sort of idiot doesn't know they have property/funds out there!?"

Well, turns out I'm that sort of idiot.

Just claimed my $1,300 in unclaimed Upromise funds from the Wisconsin DOR. (6-8 weeks for processing). Christmas bonus!!!


My mom looked into this once and she found somewhere around a whole $100. Ain't even worth trying to get.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,842
4,785
146
Payroll checks are normally 1 year property
AP Checks (vendor checks) are 2, 3 or 5 year property depending on state.
Customer credits are 3 or 5 year property depending on state.

<----Overseas unclaimed property reporting for Fortune 500 company.

Any questions, just ask me.

Ok - got a question for ya.

What if the name is mispelled? My wife has an odd way of spelling her name, and when signing up for things such as over the phone, they commonly put in what the standard spelling is.

Would we have any issues claiming property with a different spelled name? In this case, it's the first name.

OH! One other question, Is it POSSIBLE that any of these "claims" are actually for admitting that you owe a debt? For example, the Florida website doesn't show the amount. How do we not know it's a negative amount and admittance of debt?
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,842
4,785
146
Depending on your state unclaimed property rules, they may not be required to contact you. That said, most companies will make attempts and most states do have "due diligence" rules. It's only if they get audited and can't prove that they attempted to contact you that it becomes a problem.


3rd Question: Can you get in trouble for make an ACCIDENTAL "false" claim? I ask that because there are a good number of items that simply only have the last name - or it is a completely matching name. I have no idea if it's actually mine or not - and nor would anyone else other than trying.
 

thestrangebrew1

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2011
3,901
648
126
I'm getting $100+. Took less than 10 mins. Was able to electronically claim my stuff and check should be here in 7-14 days. Not bad!
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,842
4,785
146
I'm getting $100+. Took less than 10 mins. Was able to electronically claim my stuff and check should be here in 7-14 days. Not bad!

That's weird... all of the ones I have want me to send a letter in the mail with a claim form, copy of drivers license, copy of SS Card (Or number?), and proof that I lived at the address reported.

The hardest part is the last one. If you don't keep all your old bills, how the hell are you supposed to shit out a document proving you lived somewhere?