Greg's Corner

Unclaimed property scam making the rounds again

Every once in a while, you might see a news report about unclaimed property in your state. The stories usually recommend you check with your state’s treasury department to see if you have any unclaimed property. Usually, this property is money from old bank accounts you may have forgotten about or a small inheritance you may not have been aware of. You may think to yourself that you’d probably remember any bank accounts or inheritances, but you may be surprised what you find when you check with your state. That’s not to say that everyone will have unclaimed property when they check with their state. However, scammers may try to convince you otherwise.

In the state of Kansas, the Treasury Department there is warning residents about an unclaimed property scam that’s been going around. Scammers have been sending text messages telling residents that they have unclaimed property with the state. As with most text messaging scams, the texts contain a link where you can supposedly claim your property. This is a trick designed to get your personal information. If you click on the link you’ll be asked to input your personal information for ‘verification purposes’. If you do input your information you will more than likely have your identity stolen.

There is another ploy that also uses unclaimed property as its motivator. Some people will go through the state’s records of unclaimed property holders. They’ll then contact the inheritor unsolicited to let them know that they have unclaimed property with the state. They’ll claim to act on your behalf to procure you those funds for a fee, of course. This may not be illegal per se, but if you make the claim with the state yourself there is no fee involved.

A good resource to use on how to check for unclaimed funds is the USA.gov website. Good luck on your hunt but don’t be taken in by those who would give you false promises.