A California-based company specializing in “finding” people’s unclaimed property will pay $107,000 to settle allegations that it deceived Hoosiers through illegal consumer solicitations and fee agreements.
“This is a good time to remind Hoosiers they can easily and quickly search IndianaUnclaimed.gov on their own,” Attorney General Rokita said. “And there is no charge for doing so. While finder companies are allowed to offer paid services, we are committed to ensuring they follow the law.”
U.S. Claims Services Inc. — doing business as Payne Richards and Associates — allegedly made false statements in solicitations to consumers. The company allegedly stated that consumers’ unclaimed property was held by “a third-party escrow agent” when, in fact, it is the Attorney General’s Unclaimed Property Division that holds the property.
Additionally, the company’s fee agreements allegedly failed to include language required by Indiana law informing consumers that a claim for property held by the Attorney General may be made without charge through the Attorney General’s office.
The settlement requires the company to refund the $107,874.67 in fees previously collected from 435 consumers. The money is being paid to the Attorney General’s office, which will then distribute checks to the affected consumers.
Going forward, the settlement requires the company to immediately correct its solicitations and to include the required notification language in its fee agreements.
Attorney General Rokita is reminding Hoosiers they have multiple ways of reaching his office’s Unclaimed Property Division on their own. They may go to IndianaUnclaimed.gov, text CLAIM to 46220, call 1-866-462-5246 or send email to updmail@atg.in.gov.
Unclaimed property may include old bank accounts, forgotten wages, uncashed utility refunds, unclaimed insurance proceeds and funds from many other sources.
In 2025, Attorney General Rokita ’s Unclaimed Property team shattered its 2023 record by returning more than $88 million.
The settlement with U.S. Claims Services Inc. is linked here.
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