Illinois State Treasurer mails out nearly 140,000 unclaimed property checks

ILLINOIS - The Illinois State Treasurer's Office has mailed checks to nearly 140,000 residents for unclaimed property. 

The checks went out as part of the latest round of the Enhanced Money Match program, which allows the Treasurer’s Office to automatically return missing money to people without the need to file a claim.

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs said many people think the checks are a scam and the money continues to go unclaimed. 

"We put technology to work to return more money to people in our state. After all, the money belongs to them," Frerichs said. "But some people see the check in the mail and don’t think it’s real. Please don’t forget to deposit or cash the check, or it ends up back with us as unclaimed property."

The state treasurer is in charge of looking after unclaimed property, such as the contents of overlooked safe deposit boxes, unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards. Illinois holds more than $5 billion in unclaimed property. 

To see if you have unclaimed property, check the online database at www.illinoistreasurer.gov/ICASH.