FTC Consumer Alert on Unclaimed Property Scam Emails

NH Banking News & Announcements

Published March 30th, 2026

Detected March 31st, 2026

Summary

The Federal Trade Commission issued a consumer alert warning the public about scammers sending fraudulent emails and texts claiming recipients are eligible for unclaimed property. The scam involves phishing attempts where fraudsters impersonate government agencies, demand upfront processing fees, and pressure victims to act immediately. The FTC advises consumers not to click on unexpected links and to verify claims only through official state .gov websites.

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What changed

The FTC published a consumer alert on March 30, 2026, warning about a phishing scam involving fraudulent claims of unclaimed property. Scammers contact victims via calls and texts, impersonating government agencies and promising thousands of dollars in unclaimed funds. Red flags include demands for upfront processing fees, pressure to respond immediately, and requests for personal information. The government does not contact individuals to collect fees for searching unclaimed property databases.

Consumers should not click links in unexpected texts about unclaimed funds, as legitimate state programs do not send unsolicited alerts. Individuals should verify any claims by visiting their state's official .gov unclaimed property website through unclaimed.org. Suspected scams should be reported to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This alert contains no new regulatory requirements or compliance deadlines.

What to do next

Do not click links or respond to unsolicited texts claiming you have unclaimed property
Verify any unclaimed property claim through your state's official .gov website at unclaimed.org
Report suspected scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Source document (simplified)

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FTC issues Consumer Alert regarding fraudulent emails and texts saying you are eligible for unclaimed property

Announcement For Immediate Release Posted: March 30, 2026

Contact Ian Clark, Public Information Officer
(603) 271-4865 | ian.m.clark@banking.nh.gov

FTC issues Consumer Alert regarding fraudulent emails and texts saying you are eligible for unclaimed property

From the Federal Trade Commission:

Did you get a call or text saying you’re eligible for thousands of dollars in unclaimed property? Don’t get excited yet. It might be a scammer looking to steal your money or personal information. Here’s how to avoid that scam — and find out if a government agency has money, stocks, or another asset that belongs to you.

When a scammer calls or texts you about unclaimed funds, they might use a real-sounding (but fake) government agency name. To get your attention, they might mention a specific amount you’re (supposedly) entitled to. But this is a phishing scam.

If the caller says time is running out, or the text says they’ve extended the claim period just for you, that’s a scam. If the caller asks for personal information, or an upfront “processing” fee to release the funds, that’s a scam.

The government won’t call or text and ask you to pay them to search for unclaimed funds. And they won’t pressure you to respond right away. Scammers play on your fear of missing out, hoping you’ll respond now and ask questions later.

So, no matter what a call or text says about unclaimed funds:

Don’t click links in unexpected texts. State unclaimed property programs won’t text you with alerts about unclaimed property — but a scammer will.
Check out your state’s .gov website first. Every state has a process to search for unclaimed funds— for free. Go to unclaimed.org/search to find your state’s unclaimed property office.
Report the scam. If you spot a phishing scam like this one, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Then, talk about it with a friend to help them spot the scam too. To stay up on the latest scams, get FTC’s Consumer Alerts delivered to your email inbox. Sign up at ftc.gov/ConsumerAlerts.