Stacey Garrity, the PA Treasurer, warned residents of the commonwealth that scammers are using text messages to target potential unclaimed property claimants. The Pennsylvania Treasury Department never reaches out to people in regard to any program, including unclaimed property, via unsolicited text messages.
Scammers have good odds of tricking someone because so many people in Pennsylvania have unclaimed property. 1 in 10 PA residents has unclaimed property waiting for them. Garrity goes on to say on the PA website: “Treasury receives hundreds of millions of dollars in unclaimed property every year, often because of something as simple as a misspelled name or an out-of-date address. But let’s be clear: this is YOUR money we’re talking about, and I want to return it to you.”
Garrity encourages residents and former residents to search this webpage:
https://www.patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property/
There are two ways to file a unclaimed money claim
You can create a login and use the online system: https://unclaimedproperty.patreasury.gov/en/ClaimantAccount/ClaimantLogin
Or you can mail this address:
Treasury – Unclaimed Property
P.O. Box 1837
Harrisburg, PA 17105-1837
Their customer service line is 800-222-2046
Many people do not think of military awards are being part of unclaimed property, but in Pennsylvania they are. Unclaimed Property PA. Garrity, herself a veteran, says on the website “Every military decoration that finds its way to Treasury’s vault is a piece of someone’s story and a symbol of the selfless sacrifice made by them and their family for all of us. It’s a true honor to return these decorations and to let my fellow veterans and their families know how much we respect and appreciate their service to our country.”
Search here for military decorations: https://unclaimedproperty.patreasury.gov/en/Medals