(Washington, DC) The Office of Finance and Treasury (OFT) today released its list of unclaimed property collected during the past nine months. The list includes approximately 17,000 individuals and businesses owed more than $12.4 million in cash and more than 250,000 shares of stock. Advertisements will appear in The Washington Times on February 16 and in The Washington Post on February 23 to increase the public’s awareness of these assets.

“One of every 10 people has unclaimed property,” said Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Lasana Mack. “We are working aggressively to reunite them with their assets.”

Unclaimed property consists of money and other personal assets that are considered lost or abandoned when an owner cannot be located after a specified time frame, usually three years. Abandoned property includes unpaid wages, certificates of deposit, jewelry, paid life insurance policies, utility deposits, gift certificates, Christmas club accounts, and stocks. OFT’s Unclaimed Property Unit receives unclaimed property from banks, insurance companies, utility companies, hospitals, universities, and other entities.

Many companies will charge a “finder’s fee” to search for unclaimed property; however, in the District, this service is provided at no cost. To learn more about this free service, visit Unclaimed Property or call Elliott Kindred, director of OFT’s Unclaimed Property Division, at (202) 442-8181.