Posted by JoeKaiser on March 20, 2002 at 24:27:32:
.
A little help? - Posted by JoeKaiser
Posted by JoeKaiser on March 17, 2002 at 01:33:54:
Got a certified letter the other day from one of those companies that locate “unclaimed accounts.” They say they’ve found an account belonging to my company and want 35% to tell me about it and presumably, assist me in collecting it.
I spoke with a representative of the firm, was faxed a contract, etc., and if it’s phony, they do a pretty good job of it.
Question . . . what would you do?
It’s not a HUD refund, btw, but I’m guessing that if it’s real, it’s related to a real estate deal or judgment deal that we lost track of. We might have been a creditor in a bankruptcy case or something like that, too. I’ve searched the state’s unclaimed funds database, did all the online “foundmoney.com” type searches . . . nothing.
It’s a substantial amount so not something I’d have easily lost track of. Certainly not a bank account or anything like that.
Ideas?
I’m thinking I’ll probably throw a couple hundred bucks at it and hire a online search firm or two. Anybody know anything here?
Joe
How about $20 instead? - Posted by John Behle
Posted by John Behle on March 18, 2002 at 01:03:49:
I can’t think of your company name right now, but a quick search of Joe Kaiser at www.foundmoney.com found two accounts that could be you. It seems pretty cheap for the detailed searches. There is another site that I can’t think of right now also.
If it works, send a 35% finders fee of the 35% finders fee it saves … or a copy of your course (and I’ll ship you one of mine in exchange)
Re: A little help? - Posted by Terry (Houston)
Posted by Terry (Houston) on March 17, 2002 at 18:47:55:
Joe,
A follow up. I did a search “Texas unclaimed accounts” in google.com. The comptollers office came right up and gave me the site to do my own search.
I know you have had business in a few states but how many were in your companies name and not a trust?
If it works and you find it my bill won’t be $32k 
Terry (Houston)
Re: A little help? - Posted by Ronald * Starr(in No CA)
Posted by Ronald * Starr(in No CA) on March 17, 2002 at 17:33:59:
Joe Kaiser–(CA)-----------------
The state controllers national association has a website where you can access websites for many states, perhaps all of them. I’m sorry I don’t have the URL, but I’ll bet you can find it if you put “unclaimed property” into your search engine.
Wow, $32K for 35% of the claim. That’s big money. I recommend that you hire some college student to spend a couple of days searching it down. If you still can’t find, it I too recommend negotiating the fee down. They get nothing if you don’t work with them.
I also suggest it may be a tax sale situation. Maybe you had a property that went to sale and there is overage? Or perhaps you had a lien on a property and it went to tax sale? Here in CA, the lienholders have priority over the former owner for the portion of the overage equal to their obligation.
Good InvestingRon Starr*
Re: A little help? - Posted by sam
Posted by sam on March 17, 2002 at 16:31:33:
Why not negotiate? How much is your time worth? I’ll bet they would come down from that 35% if they thought there was a possibility you could find it on your own and they would end up with nothing.
Re: A little help? - Posted by Barry
Posted by Barry on March 17, 2002 at 15:01:04:
Why not just give them the 35%? Why waste the time trying to beat them out of it? You wouldn’t of even known about the money if they hadn’t told you. So it isn’t costing you anything!
Re: A little help? - Posted by Terry (Houston)
Posted by Terry (Houston) on March 17, 2002 at 09:43:34:
Do I get a fee for helping???
There is a public information site that has that the information you are looking for. Notice public as in free?
You might try doing a search in google.com or lycos.com
But it is a site that is state specific. Meaning if you have moved around a little you might have to search for it. Or if you have done business in several states you may have to look a lot more.
A brief search shows that Texas is in the Comptrollers office and they are online. I know about twice a year here they actually do a big section in the paper that has everyones information. You look for your name and Boom. Money or property or whatever.
Now about that fee…
Terry (Houston)
Re: A little help? - Posted by Hank
Posted by Hank on March 17, 2002 at 09:18:27:
Got a letter a few years back from a Seminoff something or other Company out of CA or WA or OR. Located $ in NY. I’m in FL. Complicated thing dealing with a house my parents used to own that a 2nd foreclosed on.
They where trying to get 14k. They wanted 1/3. My mother said OK. She’d had enough of that situation a long time ago. … Didn’t work out. The 2nd got the $ , but the Wayne Seminoff Co. (I think that’s the full Co. name) seemed to be on the up & up.
Re: How about $20 instead? - Posted by JoeKaiser
Posted by JoeKaiser on March 18, 2002 at 02:16:04:
Thanks, John, but’s it’s the business name and I have checked all known interenet sites that do the “foundmoney.com” type stuff–no luck.
Joe
Re: A little help? - Posted by keith johnson
Posted by keith johnson on March 18, 2002 at 13:29:44:
I’m unempolymed how do i get started. what kid of loan or governmet porgarm should you use.
Re: A little help? - Posted by JoeKaiser
Posted by JoeKaiser on March 17, 2002 at 15:46:47:
Their take is $32k . . . that’s why. Are you telling me you wouldn’t look a little bit for that kind of dough?
Joe
None of my business, but . . . - Posted by Bob H
Posted by Bob H on March 17, 2002 at 21:33:39:
How did you manage to misplace $91k?
Re: None of my business, but . . . - Posted by Wayne
Posted by Wayne on March 18, 2002 at 06:13:41:
Any guy who “misplaces” that kind of money deserves to get a $32k hit!!! Pay it and consider yourself lucky to get what you got.
Aaaaaaaaah . . . - Posted by JoeKaiser
Posted by JoeKaiser on March 17, 2002 at 23:01:39:
That, Bob, is the question we are all asking around here.
Wish I knew, but I can assure you, it isn’t a missing bank account or something like that. If it’s legit, it’s an old judgment or lien or overage on something we’ve long since written off.
Joe