Call 12 to get help searching for unclaimed money, property online

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The Virginia Department of Treasury’s Unclaimed Property office will be doing a virtual Call 12 on Wednesday afternoon to help people find money or property that may be owned to them.

“Viewers will have the opportunity to ... speak to Treasury staff who will offer personalized, one-on-one service to search and start the claim process for callers,” Virginia Treasury said in a news release.

Central Virginia residents can call the toll-free event phone number 1-833-302-0704 between 4 and 7 p.m. Sept. 7 for one-on-one service to search and start the claim process.

(Please note: this is a different Call 12 number than usual. Treasury employees will be fielding calls from other locations.)

People can also visit the newly designed www.vaMoneySearch.gov to search for unclaimed property and start the claim process with no paperwork needed.

“More than $1 billion has been paid out to Virginians since this program was started in 1961,” Virginia Treasury said. “Virginia’s consumer protection law requires businesses to turn over or escheat unclaimed property to the state, relieving the business of the financial liability. Virginia holds the property until the rightful owner, or heir, files a claim.”