I received a letter from National Claims Recovery Services, 3801 Pegasus Drive, Suite 101, Bakersfield, CA 93308, in October stating that there was an unclaimed sum of $1,034.47 for me to claim in 14 days. They were going to take out a fee of $155.17 (15%) from the $1,034.47 and leave me with $879.30. I called them at 800-995-2416 and asked if this was real. The agent said yes. I also asked her if this was the only way to receive my unclaimed property and if there was another way to process my claim. She said they were the right people to handle my claim, that she would be happy to assist me, and that they would be the agency processing my claim from now on. She never explained that I could have done this with the state for free, even when I clearly asked her. That answer sounded like they were the only way to get my claim processed.
I called many times with questions that were not properly answered. I even requested a supervisor more than once. When I finally got a supervisor, I asked the same questions and got the same answers. I believed they were telling me the truth, that they were the only way to process my claim, and I filled out the form and attached a copy of my ID. She said it would take thirty days to process the claim.
I waited thirty days and then a few more before calling again. She said it would take 60 to 90 days, and not 30 as she said the first time. I received another letter exactly the same as the first one. I called again and asked why I got another letter. She explained that I had to fill it out again. So I filled it out, but without an ID, because she said it was not necessary. She also explained that it would take 60 to 90 days from the day they got the second form to process the claim, and not from the first one as she said before. Another "misunderstanding." I was calling multiple times to clarify these misunderstandings that kept presenting themselves.
I waited until January came around and I had not heard anything from them in all that time. I called them and asked what the status of my claim was. Here there was another "misunderstanding." She said they had nothing to do with me and that another agency was going to contact me. So I waited until the 90 days were up. I called again and said that no one had contacted me and asked what the status of my claim was. She said to wait 15 days for someone to call, and if no one did, I was supposed to call again. I waited 15 days and no one called. I called again and asked what was going on. She said she would call me when my claim was settled, and I waited.
On February 22 I got a check in the mail for $879.30 from the State of Florida Department of Financial Services. I went to the department's website, www.fltreasurehunt.org, and found out that I could have claimed my property on my own for free. The agent lied to me by saying they were the right people to handle my claim and by not giving me correct answers, because they knew that if they told me I could do it for free on my own, they would not get their money.
I called them this morning and talked to a secretary. I demanded a supervisor. When I finally got to talk to a supervisor, I explained to her that they lied to me and that they did not tell me I could have done this on my own, even when I asked before signing the agreement. She said they did not have to inform me that I could claim it on my own. She said all they have to do is provide me with the information of the unclaimed property, and so they are entitled to the fees. I asked if the claim could just be canceled so I could do it on my own and get my full amount. She said that was impossible because I signed the agreement. But I signed it because the agent said they were the only way to process the claim. The agreement should not count if I signed it because I was given the wrong information. They should take that into consideration and let me do this on my own.
I am an honest person and followed everything they said, just to have a bunch of "misunderstandings where it was my fault and I had the proper information." They did not give me the proper information to make my own decision. I do not want others to go through the same terrible experience I went through.
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