This article appeared in Investor's Business Daily, November 8, 1999. The site, which goes live Monday, lets users conduct free searches of a database containing state records of unclaimed property such as forgotten bank accounts and uncashed dividend checks.
Users can simply enter individual or corporate names.
The site will bring up a brief description about any unclaimed property, including the estimated value and the state holding it. The site also lets you initiate the process for claiming it. The average U.S. citizen typically moves every five to seven years. A woman may get married and change her last name. Utility companies and banks lose track of you.