Letters to the editor, Feb. 26

File for unclaimed property

To the editor,

I am writing to urge all readers to take a moment to check with the Maine Treasurer’s office to see if there is any unclaimed property that might belong to you.

Every year, Maine releases an updated list of dormant bank balances, missing checks, stock dividends, inheritances and other assets that have gone unclaimed. All of this adds up to tens of millions of dollars that sit in state accounts until the rightful owners come forward.

The problem is that most people have no idea that this list even exists, let alone whether or not an item on it might belong to them.

There are two ways to look up yourself, your family or your business and make a claim, both of which are free. The best, most effective way is to search at: https://www.maineunclaimedproperty.gov/. If you are having trouble or don’t have access to a computer or to the internet, you can call the Treasurer’s unclaimed property hotline at 624-7470 during normal business hours.

Finally, please be very careful of scams. Scammers have in the past pretended to be speaking for the Treasurer’s office in an attempt to commit identity theft. While there are some legitimate businesses that help match you with missing property, be very careful of people who try to contact you. The safest thing is just to contact the Treasurer’s office yourself using the methods above. If you suspect a scam, get in touch with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-436-2131 or Consumer.mediation@maine.gov.

I hope this helps you recover any assets that might belong to you. If you have any questions about this or about anything going on in the Maine Legislature, please feel free to reach out to me at chris.caiazzo@legislature.maine.gov.