Consumers need to know that the Commerce Department Unclaimed Property Program does not contact individuals to request personal information or payment to claim missing property.  If you did not initiate a conversation, you should never provide personal information, including Social Security Numbers or account numbers over the telephone or internet.

If you see your name, or that of a deceased relative, in the newspaper advertisement or on this web site, you can download a claim form. Or you can search for a name in the Unclaimed Property Owner's Database.

Please read the instruction sheet, which is included with the claim form for the documentation you are required to submit to prove ownership of the property. Be prepared to submit:

• a copy of current, legal picture identification 
• a copy of your social security card or a document with your social security number recorded on it 
• evidence of residence 
• evidence of doing business with the former holder of the property

Additional information and documentation may be required depending on the type of property and the relationship of the claimant to the owner. Please examine the claim form and instruction sheet to locate the type of owner you are and submit the documentation listed with the completed and notarized form. The cash amount of the property, or the number of shares the Unclaimed Property Unit is holding, can be obtained by email at unclaimed.property@state.mn.us, or by calling 651-296-2568.

After the claim form is sent in and approved, you will receive a check for the amount of your property within 60 days. Owners with claims for stock will receive shares or the cash value of the securities if the State of Minnesota held the shares for more than a year. If you feel that abandoned property of yours, or that of a deceased relative, may be held outside of Minnesota, you can link to the other state's unclaimed property web sites at www.unclaimed.org.