What makes a program legitimate
Legitimate programs are operated by a state treasurer, comptroller, or revenue department under a named statute, publish a free public search, and never require payment to look or to file.
- The domain ends in .gov, or is the state's officially published portal
- Searching is free and shows results without a credit card
- Claim instructions ask for documents, not payment
- The statute and administering agency are named on the site
Red flags that mean walk away
Pressure and payment are the tells. Real programs have no deadline pressure, because most states hold property indefinitely.
- An upfront fee, 'processing charge', or crypto/gift-card payment request
- An unsolicited call or text claiming your funds expire today
- A contract assigning a percentage of your money before you have seen it
- A lookalike domain that is close to, but not, the official portal
Finder fees are capped by law
Private asset finders are legal in most states but limited by statute — commonly 10%, and as low as 5% in Washington, with many states voiding any agreement signed within 24 months of the property being reported. You never need a finder to claim your own property.