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North Carolina has over $1 billion in unclaimed cash: How to check if some of it is yours

You could have free money waiting. The unclaimed cash includes bank accounts, utility deposits, insurance overpayments and more.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — No one would ever just leave cash out on a table and walk away, but that's what a lot of people are doing right now and you might be one of them. 

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators estimates that 1 in 10 Americans may have unclaimed property under their name.  

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Some of this money could include leftover insurance money from family members, divorce settlement checks or old paychecks that never got cashed. Whatever the reason, there's a good chance there's some money with your name just sitting there.  

Consumer Affairs says most of this money sits untouched because people don't take it seriously or don't take the time to look for it.

WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.

Most of the money is held by individual states, not by the federal government itself. In North Carolina, the money is held by the state treasurer. It's from leftover deposits paid to utility companies, overpayment son insurance, money left in escrow and even stuff found in safety deposit boxes.

To see if you have some money you can snag, you can go to Unclaimed.org and search for your specific state, whether it's for a current residence or previous places you've lived.

While searching specific databases, is also worth checking into insurance, taxes and employment databases.

Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookX and Instagram.

WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the many issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.

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