Syracuse, N.Y. —The state Comptroller’s Office is offering an in-person help session on Friday for Central New Yorkers interested in recovering unclaimed money that the state holds.
The money comes from forgotten or abandoned accounts such as utility deposits, trust funds, old bank accounts, uncashed checks and unused gift cards, according to a news release from the office of State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
Staff will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5 at Rep. John Mannion’s Senior Fair at the SRC Arena and Events Center, 4585 W. Seneca Turnpike in Syracuse
The Office of Unclaimed Funds (OUF) continues to return more than $2 million a day to New Yorkers, with some checks mailed directly to their rightful owners.
A new law has sped up payouts for some claimants. Since January, OUF has been mailing checks automatically for newly reported accounts of $250 or less. More than 128,000 checks, totaling over $11 million, have been sent out as of October, officials said.
To help residents search for and claim their funds, comptroller staff attend community events across the state to provide in-person assistance.
Residents who can’t make it to an event can search for and claim their money using the online claiming system or by calling 1-800-221-9311.
In August, at the comptroller’s booth at the New York State Fair, a person discovered they had a $147,000 unclaimed check from investments, she said.
DiNapoli also returned more than $50,000 to four Central New York organizations at the fair, including: A Tiny Home for Good, Home HeadQuarters, The Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY and WCNY.
A map of unclaimed funds owed to New Yorkers by county and region is available, and more information is available on the comptroller’s website.