PA Treasurer McCord Returns More Than $73,000 in Unclaimed Property to Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association of Reading

$20.3 million remains to be claimed in Berks County; Search www.patreasury.gov today

Reading – March 4, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — More than $20.3 million in unclaimed property is available to claim in Berks County, State Treasurer Rob McCord announced today as he presented officials of the Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association of Reading with a mock check representing more than $73,000 in property the organization claimed last year.

“The Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association of Reading serves volunteer firefighters who gave their time and risked their lives to keep our communities safe, and this unclaimed property will help support that important mission,” Treasurer McCord said. “We still have more than $20.3 million in unclaimed property to return in Berks County alone, so I encourage organizations, businesses and individuals to search www.patreasury.gov and find out if any of it belongs to them.”

The $73,137 Treasurer McCord presented to Reading VFRA officials today at the Reading Area Firefighter’s Museum was from a certificate of deposit.

“On behalf of the Firemen’s Relief Association of the City of Reading, Pennsylvania, I want to thank Treasurer Rob McCord and his office in working with us to recover our funds,” said David R. Silcox, VFRA secretary.

Treasurer McCord and his Return Team currently seek the owners of $1.9 billion in unclaimed property, and Pennsylvanians have about a one-in-10 chance of finding some in their name. The Treasurer offered two easy ways to find out: visit www.patreasury.gov and type in your name in the search box, or call 1-800-222-2046, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A member of Treasury’s Return Team will assist with their search and the claim process.

The Treasurer noted people and organizations usually do not know they are owed property because “holders,” or entities that hold property owed to others, are not required under state law to contact the owner before remitting it to Treasury. As a result, Treasury each year receives millions of dollars in unclaimed property in the form of abandoned bank accounts, forgotten stocks, uncashed checks, and contents of safe deposit boxes.

Since January 2009, the McCord Treasury has collected more than $858 million in property, returned more than $419 million to rightful owners, and generated about $439 million for the state’s General Fund through the Unclaimed Property Program.

To learn more about Pennsylvania’s Unclaimed Property Program or to search for property, visit www.patreasury.gov or call 1-800-222-2046.

Media contact: Elizabeth Foose, 717-787-2991 or