Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Attorney General TJDonovan and State Treasurer Beth Pearce are warning citizens about phone solicitations and websites that falsely claim citizens must pay a fee to locate and retrieve unclaimed property. Vermont citizens are advised to search the State’s free unclaimed property database before accepting services from other entities. In recent days, several Vermont residents have reported that for-profit enterprises have contacted them by phone, letter or email offering unclaimed property search services for an upfront fee. “Unclaimed property” describes assets like uncashed checks, lost valuables, forgotten security deposits, misplaced insurance policies, investments or estates.
The Vermont State Treasurer’s Office maintains a database of unclaimed property. The Treasurer’s Office’s unclaimed property program is a consumer protection initiative to benefit all citizens. No commissions or fees are charged through this free service.Vermonters can easily search the State unclaimed property database by visiting MissingMoney.Vermont.gov or by calling 1-800-642-3191.
With over $80 million waiting to be claimed in Vermont alone, Attorney General Donovan and Treasurer Pearce urge Vermonters to first check with the Treasurer’s Office’s Unclaimed Property Division before pursuing other search options. Further, the Attorney General and Treasurer remind Vermonters that any unclaimed property service provider operating in the state must be registered with the Treasurer’s Office.
If you have questions about a solicitation or want to learn more, contact the Treasurer’s Office’s Unclaimed Property Division by visiting MissingMoney.Vermont.gov or calling 1-800-642-3191. If you have questions about how to identify a scam and how to protect yourself, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) at 1-800-649-2424 or visit CAP online atconsumer.vermont.gov.
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Vermont AG: Nov 16, 2017