TAMPA, Fla. — It may seem too good to be true — a letter in the mail claiming the state is holding onto your unclaimed money but is it real?
According to the state, Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer, holds unclaimed property valued at $2 billion. The money is mostly from dormant accounts in financial institutions, insurance and utility companies, securities and trust holdings, according to the state.
There is also unclaimed property like watches, jewelry, coins, etc.
In October 2021, the state said more than $38 million in unclaimed money and property was returned to Floridians. Of that, $7.67 million was in the Tampa/St. Pete area.
The state provides the following example of what an official letter from the state should look like.
Unclaimed Property Letter Example by ABC Action News on Scribd
The state said you could also be contacted by a private company like a private investigator, a CPA or an attorney.
If you received a letter from the state or a private company, or you just want to check for yourself, it's free to search on the state's website to see if you have any unclaimed property.
If you get a card from a company that says you need to pay to find out if you have unclaimed money, don't pay them. The state said the companies will often refer you to the free website provided by the state.
Click here for more information.