If you live in Tampa Bay, you might be richer thank you think.
There is more than 1.5 million unclaimed property accounts valued at over $410 million in the Tampa and St. Petersburg area (Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties), according to Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis.
Unclaimed money comes from a variety of things, including abandoned bank accounts and forgotten utility deposits, as well as property that’s been abandoned in a safe deposit box, such as watches, jewelry, coins, currency and stamps.
“Could any of this money belong to you? One in five Floridians have unclaimed funds, and it takes only seconds to search for free,” Patronis said in a statement.
The Florida Department of Financial Services has a database of unclaimed money on their website.
To check if you have unclaimed property:
1. Go to www.fltreasurehunt.gov and enter in your information.
2. Fill out and sign your claim form. You must provide a copy of your current identification reflecting your current mailing address and documentation proving your ownership of the account. Be sure to read carefully.
3. Mail the completed claim form with the required documentation to the address indicated on the form.