# Revenue recovery notice: a scam or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 27, 2004, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826 "2004-11-27T02:45:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/1 "2004-11-27T02:45:45Z")
I just got something in the mail that threw me for a loop today. It’s from some revenue recovery service and they say that I’m due X amount of dollars “which was paid to the government by state of CA Savings PL.” (?) They say they track lost assets and have been doing so for 7 years. Here’s the deal: After I get payment, this company would get 10% for having provided the documents so I could file the claim. There are phone #s on this notice but no website. Any comments? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/2 "2004-11-27T02:54:40Z")
Most of these places charge you to claim money that you could get for free by going to the CA dept of revenue site. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/3 "2004-11-27T07:12:39Z")
Well, by golly, the money is real and I can indeed claim it on my own. Thanks, **Carmen!** ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/4 "2004-11-27T14:56:50Z")
[Here’s a website](http://www.unclaimed.org/) that tells you how to find out what if anything you have in a given state’s treasury ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/5 "2004-11-27T17:16:27Z")
Thanks, **picu** –that site gives the links for every state. Everybody ought to go take a look. You never know. I certainly didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/6 "2004-11-27T17:27:28Z")
I found some money that the state of Ohio owes to my parents. They haven’t lived in Ohio in over 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/7 "2004-11-28T04:33:41Z")
Kansas owes me (and/or my ex) $14.++ The paper hoops I’d have to jump through, including the one where i _talk_ to my ex, weren’t worth $14.?? But, Hey, it could have been… nope, it could only have been $14. 00, 'cause we were poor back then… I’m amazed we left the $14. behind. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/8 "2004-11-28T15:39:06Z")
Nothing for me (never anything for me) but I found three listings for my one dead grandmother and one listing for my other dead grandmother. I suppose I ought to let my parents know. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/9 "2004-11-28T18:34:03Z")
Yes, tell them. As heirs, they should be able to obtain the funds. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/10 "2004-11-28T22:02:17Z")
Or, since the funds must be held in perpetuity by the state, I could wait for my parents to die and then apply for the funds for myself! Muah-ha-ha-ha! One of the listings for my one dead grandmother is also linked to my grandfather, who died in 1967. ---
**Author:** ![Amberlei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Amberlei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amberlei)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/11 "2004-11-29T00:11:10Z")
Wow, My mom is owed money as are a couple of friends. It’s kind of fun searching, but I wish someone owed ME money! ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/12 "2004-11-29T00:13:29Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Well, by golly, the money is real and I can indeed claim it on my own. > Thanks, **Carmen!** WooHoo! It is indeed rare that an off the cuff input turns out to help someone. Oh ye-ah, oh ye-ah, oh ye-ah… ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenue-recovery-notice-a-scam-or-not/276826/13 "2004-11-29T02:22:56Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Well, by golly, the money is real and I can indeed claim it on my own. > > Thanks, **Carmen!** Meh. I’m not owed any money, but if I were, I’d probably give 10% of it to the organization that sent me the e-mail. I mean, it would’ve otherwise gone unclaimed, and it was awfully nice of them to notify you, even if you can get it free.