How ‘Great’ Is The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt?
OK, admit it. This sounds like a scam. Just go to a website, type in some information, and find out if you're owed potentially hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars! We've been warned about sites like this! Rest assured though, that this is no joke. No folks, this is the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt.
As KCRG reports yesterday, February 1st, was National Unclaimed Property Day. Now unclaimed property can mean a lot of different things. It could be a lost utility deposit, unchased insurance benefits, a forgotten bank account, or an abandoned safety deposit box. Seriously, who out there just 'forgot' they had a bank account! So how does this modern-day treasure hunt work?
It really is simple. Just head to GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov. Type in your first and last name, and then you're presented with a list. If you're on it, it tells you where your account is, and how much it is potentially worth. When I typed in my last name of 'Brainard' I came up with three pages of other Brainards. None of them were me. However, one of them is my wife Holly! She has money in an old bank account. The amount? Under $100. But how much under? She'll have to file a claim to find out.
So how likely are you to have some money just sitting out there? KCRG reports that around 1 in 10 people have unclaimed property waiting for them. The state of Iowa says it is currently holding $460 million in unclaimed property! Who knows? Maybe some of it is yours!