Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today the recovery of more than $5.2 million plus interest for Washingtonians through the state’s unclaimed property program. The funds are a result of Ferguson’s lawsuit over uncashed checks issued by international money transfer company MoneyGram.
Washington’s unclaimed property program, administered by the state Department of Revenue, aims to return unclaimed or abandoned funds and other property to their rightful owners. This can include uncashed checks, bank account funds, insurance proceeds, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, consumer credits, and more. Residents can search for unclaimed property in their name at www.ClaimYourCash.org.
The $5.2 million is part of a resolution exceeding $190 million between Delaware and a bipartisan coalition of 30 states to ensure that funds from uncashed MoneyGram checks are returned to residents of those states.
“This money belongs to Washingtonians,” Ferguson stated. “The unclaimed property program helps return funds that are rightfully yours. Every Washingtonian should visit the unclaimed property program’s website to see if they have funds waiting to be claimed.”
These funds originate from prepaid MoneyGram checks purchased from banks or credit unions. If recipients fail to cash these checks, the money becomes unclaimed property.
Initially, Delaware took possession of these funds since MoneyGram is headquartered there. However, Ferguson and a bipartisan group of states sued Delaware under federal law regulating abandoned money orders and travelers’ checks. They argued that the unclaimed funds should be returned to the states where the checks were issued for disbursement as unclaimed property. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Ferguson and the coalition.
According to the Department of Revenue’s website, Washington's program has returned over $1.5 billion in unclaimed funds to its residents so far.
For additional information on Washington’s unclaimed property program or to search for potential claims under your name, visit www.ClaimYourCash.org.
Checks issued in 2008 or earlier may still be available through Delaware’s unclaimed property program at https://unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov/.