FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Clint Blaes |
Treasurer Steven Johnson
marks National Unclaimed Property Day
TOPEKA – (February 1, 2023) – Kansas State Treasurer
Steven Johnson today marked National Unclaimed Property Day by reminding
Kansans of his office’s ongoing efforts to return unclaimed funds.
“Our office currently holds more than $500 million in
unclaimed property for Kansans,” Johnson said. “It is estimated that one in ten
people nationwide has unclaimed property – so it’s worth checking regularly to
see if you, your family or friends have funds available to claim. National
Unclaimed Property Day is the perfect opportunity to do a quick, easy, free
online search.”
The National Association of Unclaimed Property
Administrators (NAUPA) estimates that nearly 33 million people in the United
States has unclaimed property: financial accounts or items of value in which
the owner has not initiated any activity for a number of years. When that
happens, and the company cannot locate the owner, the money or properties are
submitted to the state. Common examples include unpaid life insurance benefits,
forgotten bank accounts, safe deposit boxes, and unused rebate cards.
In 2021, to increase awareness of unclaimed property,
NAUPA launched the first National Unclaimed Property Day on February 1.
Sometimes third-parties contact individuals offering
to assist in filing claims for a fee. While some of these third-party “finders”
are operating legally, there are also bad actors who use the promise of
assistance in claiming property as a hook for scams. Johnson reminded Kansans
that it is always free to search and file claims through the State Treasurer’s
website at https://kansascash.ks.gov.
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Note: Treasurer Johnson’s office will be sharing facts
about the Unclaimed Property program throughout the day on our social media
accounts at the links below:
·
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KansasTreasurer
·
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kansastreasurer/
·
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kansastreasurer/