New Mobile Tool Helps Users Share Unclaimed Property Listings Via Text Message
State Treasurer Riley Moore today announced his Office returned $1.6 million worth of unclaimed property to individuals, businesses and organizations during the month of April, pushing fiscal year-to-date returns past $20 million for the first time in state history.
“We’re continuing to return money back to its rightful owners at the fastest pace in state history,” Treasurer Moore said. “Yet with more than $300 million in funds still left unclaimed, we’re continuing to find new ways to get the word out about the unclaimed property program and how we can return lost cash to you.”
The Office’s Unclaimed Property Division processed $1,629,424 worth of payments during April, pushing cumulative totals for the fiscal year – which ends June 30 – past $20.7 million. That’s well ahead of last year’s record $18.6 million returned by the Office.
The Office has also updated the mobile version of the Unclaimed Property website, www.WVUnclaimedProperty.com, with a new SMS text feature that will allow users to forward unclaimed property listings to family and friends if they see their names listed in the database.
“We’re always looking for new ways to help people find their unclaimed property,” Treasurer Moore said. “This new mobile text message feature will help people quickly notify friends and loved ones if they see we’re holding something for them.”
What is Unclaimed Property?
Unclaimed property can include financial accounts or items of value in which the owner has not initiated any activity for one year or longer. Common examples include unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards. (While the title includes the word “property,” it does not however include real estate.)
West Virginia’s unclaimed property laws protect the public by ensuring money and property owed to them is returned to them, rather than remaining permanently with financial institutions, business associations, governments and other entities. The Treasurer seeks to reunite the unclaimed property, including uncashed paychecks, stocks, or safe deposit box contents, with its owner.
Nationwide, nearly 33 million people in the United States – one in every 10 – are estimated to have unclaimed property available for them to claim.
How Can I Find Unclaimed Property in My Name?
West Virginians searching for lost financial assets can go to www.WVUnclaimedProperty.com to search if their name or business is listed in the database. You can also file a claim or check its status as that website. Individuals can also still visit www.wvtreasury.com, then click on the large Unclaimed Property “Search” button to the right of the page under the heading, “Are We Holding Your Money?,” which will redirect them to the unclaimed property website.
A demonstration of how to use the Unclaimed Property search site is available on the Treasury’s YouTube page, at: https://youtu.be/K09yQ7YNKlE.
To search for lost financial assets outside West Virginia, visit www.MissingMoney.com.