This Thanksgiving, New Yorkers may have something extra to be thankful for: lost money waiting to be claimed. State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli is urging residents to check whether they are owed funds through the Office of Unclaimed Funds (OUF), which returns more than $2 million a day to the public.
Unclaimed funds come from money people may have forgotten about or lost track of over time. That includes utility deposits, trust funds, old bank accounts, uncashed checks, and even unused gift cards.
“We’re returning more than $2 million a day to New Yorkers, and my office is working to make it easier than ever to reclaim lost money, including mailing some checks directly to their rightful owners,” DiNapoli said.
A new law championed by DiNapoli has sped up the process for many residents. Since January, OUF has been mailing checks automatically for newly reported accounts of $250 or less. As of October, more than 128,000 checks—totaling over $11 million—have gone out.
To help more New Yorkers reconnect with their money, staff from the Comptroller’s office also travel to community events statewide to assist people in person.
Residents who can’t attend an event can still check for unclaimed funds online or by phone at 1-800-221-9311.
A statewide map showing unclaimed funds by county is available at osc.ny.gov/unclaimed-funds.
Upcoming Unclaimed Funds Events Across New York State
Central NY
Dec. 5, 2025 | 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Congressman Mannion’s Onondaga County Senior Fair
SRC Arena and Events Center, Onondaga Community College
4585 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse, NY
Onondaga County
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