Some Illinois Residents Might Get Surprise Checks in the Mail

Whether it's a tax return, or a portion of a class action lawsuit you forgot you made the move to claim, getting a check in the mail is a joy to behold. Most of us are accustomed to money going out far more frequently than money getting sent to us. That's going to be/has been the case for Illinois residents, who have been receiving surprise checks in the mail.

Throughout the summer, hundreds-of-thousands Illinoisans could find themselves receiving surprise checks in their mailbox. Let it be known, if it comes from the Illinois State Treasurer's Office, it is not a scam. It's actually part of the state's ongoing efforts to return unclaimed money to its rightful owners.

READ MORE: Iowans Have Over $340 Million in Unclaimed, Money Assets. Is Some of it Yours?

Why Nearly 600,000 Illinois Residents Will Receive Checks:

The Illinois State Treasurer's Office is mailing out $45 million to nearly 600,000 residents via its Enhanced Money Match Program, per Fox 32 Chicago.

The program's purpose is to use existing data to identify people that are due unclaimed property or other assets. From there, checks are automatically issued and sent, rendering no action required on the person owed those finances:

The first thing we tell people, is this – the money belongs to you, the check is real, and this is not a scam. The second thing we tell them, is to cash the check! Who couldn’t use a little extra pocket money this summer? - Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, per Fox 32 Chicago

How Much Money Could You See from These Checks?:

Most of the checks mailed to residents will be for $50 or less. However, there are many claims that are worth higher dollar amounts. Frerichs' office began sending letters to future check-recipients in late June, and checks will continue to be mailed throughout the summer, possibly even into August.

Illinois' Enhanced Money Match program started back in 2018. Since its inception, the state has returned over $130 million to over 870,000. My father was actually one of them back in 2022. I helped him recover the monetary amount of an old bank account, which ended up being a couple thousand dollars.

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How to Find Out if You Have Any Unclaimed Money:

If you live in Illinois and want to see if you have any unclaimed money and/or assets in the state, you can visit the Illinois Treasurer's Office's website, fill out a simple form, and see for yourself.