How to file a claim in Pennsylvania’s $20 million+ unclaimed property settlement

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – More than $20 million is available to claim for Pennsylvanians as part of a settlement tied to a recent U.S. Supreme Court case.

The Pennsylvania Treasury says in February 2023 the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Pennsylvania in the case Delaware v. Pennsylvania et al . The case found that Delaware improperly received uncashed “official checks” purchased in other states as unclaimed property from MoneyGram Payment Systems Inc.

MoneyGram Payment Systems Inc. is a provider of money transfer and bill payment services. Uncashed MoneyGram official checks will now be reverted to the states in which they were purchased.

The total amount collected by Pennsylvania includes $6,256,096 remitted to the Treasury by MoneyGram in April 2024, covering report years 2023 and 2024, along with about $14 million approved in the settlement, covering dates back to 2011.

“This is a huge win for Pennsylvania consumers, and the right standard has been set for the future,” said State Treasurer Stacy Garrity. “The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with us that these checks should be returned to the states where they were purchased, and this settlement is the first step in getting that money back into the right hands. I’m proud of the legal team here at Treasury for leading the successful effort to establish this important precedent in national unclaimed property law.”

Anyone who bought a MoneyGram official check in Pennsylvania since Jan. 1, 2011, that was never cashed can contact the Treasury with evidence of their purchase to file a claim.

“This settlement concludes nearly eight years of litigation – and it’s a lawsuit that Pennsylvania should never have been compelled to initiate,” added Garrity. “The good news is that Pennsylvanians who did business with MoneyGram will have a real chance to be reunited with their money – as will people in every state where MoneyGram sells its products. Delaware’s refusal to amicably resolve this dispute when it was first raised in 2014 will result in the payment of over $190 million to the litigant states.”

The Treasury recommends residents have a receipt showing the amount, the purchase location, and the purchase date.

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