--- title: Your Unclaimed Money Calls May Be a 'Free Cash' Scam — Here’s the Government-Backed Way to Check description: "Unclaimed cash is money the government or a financial institution owes. But scammers sometimes take advantage —\_here's how." authors: - name: Marc Guberti url: https://money.com/author/marc-guberti/ bio: Marc Guberti is a personal finance writer who hosts Breakthrough Success, a podcast where he teaches listeners how to grow their businesses and achieve personal transformations. at_money_since: 2024 articles: 437 covers: - Personal Finance - Banking - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes published: '2026-07-02T19:30:17.000Z' section: Personal Finance word_count: 512 canonical: https://money.com/unclaimed-money-scams/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Upset woman talking on phone](https://img.money.com/2026/06/Explainer-Money-Call-Scams.jpg) When budgets are tight, people are eager for some extra cash — and a text or email about unclaimed money may sound like the remedy. But if you receive one of these messages, it may be from a scammer who wants to obtain a potential victim’s money and personal details. This “free cash” scam has become so prevalent that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has specifically addressed how to handle the [unclaimed funds scam](https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/03/how-handle-unexpected-calls-about-unclaimed-funds). Being prepared and pausing before acting on an impulse are good starting points. ## Why unclaimed money scams are believable Between banking accounts, investment accounts, peer-to-peer payment payment platforms and more, it’s possible to lose track of all the financial accounts you have created. Some people created a checking account more than a decade ago that they don’t look at anymore. “If a business, financial institution, or government owes you money that you did not collect, it is considered unclaimed money or property,” according to [USAGov.com](https://www.usa.gov/unclaimed-money). “You may be able to file for unclaimed money owed to you, or that was owed to a deceased relative if you are their legal heir.” But while unclaimed money can be real, it’s also an aspect of the financial system that scammers take advantage of. Fraudulent messages about unclaimed funds often come with deadlines. They may also come with logos and brand names that sound legitimate as they urge you to take action before time runs out. Some pose as agencies that request an upfront fee or personal information before you can access the “funds.” A real government agency will not use urgency in its messages. It’s a red flag anytime a message says you must pay a fee or provide information before a close deadline to receive unclaimed funds. ## The government-backed way to check for unclaimed money If you’re trying to determine whether you have unclaimed cash, go straight to the official source by visiting your state’s official unclaimed property website. You can also go to [unclaimed.org/search](https://unclaimed.org/search/), which is run by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA). It links to official state programs and is government-recommended. [MissingMoney.com](https://missingmoney.com/) is another resource that is a NAUPA-backed multi-state search tool for participating states. It’s free to search through official state sites. While some legitimate agencies will do this for you, it is not necessary to pay someone to perform this search. Applying this search to every state you have lived, worked, owned property or done business can help you find all of your unclaimed funds. ## What to do if you get one of these calls or texts If you get one of these scams calls or texts, it’s often best to ignore it. Do not provide any sensitive information to someone who contacted you out of the blue. While some people work with agencies to find unclaimed money, it should be a relationship that you establish. If you do not know the person or agency telling you about unclaimed funds, do not engage with their text or email. You can report suspected scams to [ReportFraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/). 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