Auditor Daniels Returns $18 Million Through Treasure Hunt

Auditor of State Charlie Daniels (D) said his office returned $18.1 million to Arkansans with unclaimed property in the recently completed fiscal year, an increase of 60% over the total claims paid in the last fiscal year.

The office processed 33,450 claims, a 150% increase in the number of claims over 2013 that Daniels attributed to a new approach his office is taking to find owners.

“Public awareness has always been the biggest hurdle to clear during the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt. With an increased social media presence, a new direct mail approach and word of mouth, Arkansans across the state have become treasure hunters searching for their friends, neighbors and family members, resulting in more than 33,000 successful claims this year,” Daniels said.

Unclaimed property that was returned in the last year included abandoned checking accounts, utility deposits, stocks, and rebates.

The Auditor’s office has deployed social media strategies to make locals more aware of the unclaimed property program. The office has also ramped up automation of what used to be a heavy paperwork program. The result has shortened payment times by weeks and freed up staff to be more proactive in reuniting claimants and lost property.

“About 75% of our claims this year came from e-Filing. That’s a lot of manual paperwork shifted away from our office. It gives our people a chance to focus on more complex claims, and spend time trying to find the people who have unclaimed money,” Daniels said.

There is more information on the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt online at www.auditor.ar.gov. Arkansans may file claims online anytime, or call the Auditor of State’s Unclaimed Property Division at 1-800-CLAIM-IT to speak to a claims representative.