SE Illinois News

State Representative Dave Severin shared information about Illinois' unclaimed property program in an October 24 Facebook post. He said, "The checks are part of Illinois' unclaimed property program and are safe to cash."

"If you receive a check from the treasurer in the mail, it's not a scam," said Severin, according to Facebook. "The checks are part of Illinois' unclaimed property program and are safe to cash."

According to a Chicago Sun-Times article, the Unclaimed Property program aims to return funds to Illinois residents. Typically, individuals must access the Unclaimed Property database to determine if they have property to claim. However, State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is employing the Enhanced Money Match program to identify recipients and mail them checks directly, eliminating the need for people to manually search the database.

Screenshot of State Rep. Dave Severin's Oct. 24 Facebook post | State Representative Dave Severin's Facebook page

Frerichs explained, "We have done such a good job convincing people in the state that there are identity thieves out there, that they think it’s a scam. They think it’s a hoax and these checks go uncashed. This money doesn’t belong to the state; it belongs to our citizens and we love to return it."

For those opting to use the unclaimed property database, there are four steps involved in discovering and claiming any unclaimed property. According to the iCash website, individuals should first visit the iCash page and search for unclaimed properties by entering their name or business name. Next, they should click on the claim button followed by the continue-to-file-claim button to initiate the claims process. To complete this process, claimants must fill out and sign a claim form while providing photo identification and their social security number. An email notification will be sent if there is property available for claim, after which documentation can be submitted using a claim number on the iCash status page for tracking purposes.

Severin has been serving in the Illinois General Assembly since 2016. Initially representing the 117th District, he currently represents the 116th District. He resides with his wife in Benton and owns All-Stars-n-Stitches in Benton as well as Graphics Galore in Marion.