COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Unclaimed Funds is celebrating another successful year of finding Ohioan’s missing money at the Ohio State Fair.
This year, the division helped return $322,729.94 in unclaimed funds to more than 1,000 claimants who visited our booth at the fair.
More than 2,700 fairgoers visited the unclaimed funds booth this year. The average claim at this year’s state fair was nearly $308.
“The Ohio State Fair is our largest in-person outreach event of the year and one we look forward to each year,” Superintendent Akil Hardy said.
“This year’s fair marks another success as we were able to reunite thousands of Ohioans with their missing money.”
Each year at the Ohio State Fair, the Division of Unclaimed Funds sets up in the Department of Commerce booth to help reunite Ohioans with their lost or forgotten funds.
One Ohioan this year found more than $50,000. Another claimant found more than $28,000 in missing money.
Good Morning America stopped by the fair and will be featuring the Division of Unclaimed Funds in an upcoming segment. Reporter Gio Benitez and crew were on hand presenting ceremonial checks to some of the claimants who found their missing money.
Unclaimed funds are lost or forgotten money that businesses and banks report to the division after accounts become inactive, typically 3-5 years.
The money comes from inactive checking and savings accounts, refund/credit balances, uncashed cashier’s checks, stocks, and bonds forgotten utility deposits or last paychecks.
The division is currently safeguarding more than $3.9 billion in unclaimed funds. Ohioans can check at any time to see if they have unclaimed funds online or by calling 614-466-4433.
