GREENSBORO, NC -- When there is money with your name on it, you want it. And there is NO REASON you should pay to get that money.
All 50 states have a government department that handles unclaimed cash. We're talking about security deposits you may have made to utilities that you never got back, abandoned safe deposit boxes, insurance policy proceeds.
The money is yours and it's free to get. But there are people and companies who would like to make you think you should pay for your money. In fact, the Better Business Bureau says folks in the Triad are getting calls.
"The one common thing from all of the calls is that the person on the other end of the phone says, 'Hey, we found unclaimed cash for you. Just pay us. ' You should never have to pay because you can find out the information for free," says Greensboro based BBB Investigator Lechelle Yates.
It's so easy for you to find if you have money, that you don't need a company's help.
Go to the state's unclaimed cash website: NCcash.com
You'll put your name in, if the data base finds a match, it will then prompt you to put in more information in order to claim the money. It can then take a few weeks to a couple of months to get your money.
For other states, use MissingMoney.com and Unclaimed.org. Only use these sites – there’s a lot of copy cats out there with sound-alike names. Make sure you check all the places you’ve lived. And if you’re married, make sure to check under your maiden name. Use a first initial and your last name to make sure everything shows up.
If you want to use a third-party company to claim your cash, you can. But it is not required. If you do use one of the locator businesses so you don’t have to do any of the paperwork yourself, don’t pay upfront. And don’t pay the company more than 10 to 20 percent of the money you are claiming.
Got Pension Money? Visit the webpage www.usa.gov/unclaimed-money. It will link you to other helpful sites like searches for unclaimed pension money.
