Greg's Corner

Don’t Fall for ‘Unclaimed Money’ Texts

By Greg Collier

A growing number of people are receiving messages claiming that thousands of dollars in “relief money” are waiting to be collected. These messages often frame the offer as unclaimed state funds or leftover assistance from past government programs. That claim makes the scam particularly convincing, because many states do in fact hold unclaimed property for residents who may not even know it exists.

The messages arrive by phone or text and direct recipients to websites designed to look like official financial portals. They typically state that a check has already been issued in the recipient’s name and is simply waiting to be claimed. By referencing unclaimed property or former relief programs, scammers create a sense of legitimacy and urgency. The promise of state-held money that might otherwise “expire” can easily tempt someone into clicking without hesitation.

However, these websites are not connected to any government agency. Instead, they collect personal details such as addresses, phone numbers, and email accounts before redirecting to unrelated offers. That information may then be sold to third parties, added to robocall databases, or even used to apply for financial products under someone else’s name.

This does not mean unclaimed money is always fake. Every state maintains a treasury program that holds forgotten bank balances, overpaid utility deposits, insurance refunds, or inheritance funds that were never delivered. Millions of people genuinely have money sitting in state custody without realizing it. The key difference is that real programs do not contact residents through texts or unsolicited links.

Anyone who wants to check for legitimate unclaimed funds can do so safely through the official website managed by the National Association of State Treasurers. By entering a name and selecting a state, residents can view any records associated with their address and submit a secure claim directly through their treasury office.

Scammers are exploiting a system that actually exists, which is what makes this tactic so effective. The safest approach is to ignore any unexpected messages offering money and verify independently using trusted state resources.