How to Claim Unclaimed Money From Your State for Free

A text says money is waiting in your name, or a company has mailed an offer to recover it for a percentage. The wrong assumption is that getting it back takes a middleman. Every state runs its own search and claim process, and both are free when you use the official state site. Paying a finder, or answering a text, is how this goes wrong.

List every state you have lived or worked in

Write down each state where you have had an address, a job, a bank account, or a business. The NAUPA state search page notes that it is common to have property in more than one state, especially after a move. Add old surnames, a maiden name, and any business names.

Open each state's official search

From the NAUPA state search page, pick a state on the map to reach its program. Check that the address you land on ends in .gov or is the one NAUPA linked. Search by last name first, then narrow by city. Try each name variation on your list, since a typo in a holder's records is common.

Gather proof of identity and ownership

NAUPA's claim page lists two kinds of proof: identity, such as a driver's license, passport or Social Security number, and ownership, such as a pay stub or utility bill showing the address on the record. Have scans ready before you start the claim. Claims for a deceased relative or a joint owner need more; the state's claim screen lists exactly what.

File the claim on the state site

Start the claim from the matching record, upload the documents, and keep the claim number. NAUPA says filing through the state is free and that some states finish in under 30 days. A check arrives by mail, or tangible property such as safe deposit box contents is returned.

Turn down finders and ignore texts

The FTC's March 30, 2026 alert on unclaimed funds calls says the government will not call or text asking you to pay to search, and that urgency or an upfront processing fee means a scam. Do not click links in those texts; go to the state site yourself. Licensed finders exist, but they charge a share: New York's location service provider page caps the fee at 15 percent, while the state charges nothing. Report scam messages at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Check the federal sources states do not hold

The USA.gov unclaimed money page links the federal searches for unpaid wages, lost pensions, FHA mortgage insurance refunds and failed bank deposits. Savings bonds are separate: the Treasury Hunt tool closed on September 30, 2025, and the Treasury Hunt page now points to the claim forms instead.

If you find a match in another state. File with that state, not your current one. Each state pays only what it holds.

Sources. NAUPA state search, NAUPA how to claim, FTC alert on unclaimed funds calls, March 2026, New York location service providers, USA.gov unclaimed money, TreasuryDirect Treasury Hunt.