Consumer protection Got a letter about money you're owed?
Read this before you sign anything.
The money might be real — surplus funds are a real thing, and counties really do hold millions.
But this niche attracts predators. Here's how to sort them out in five minutes.
Fake government checks. A "check" that looks like it's from the county or state is a federal deceptive-mail violation. Real firms never imitate government documents.
Illegal fees. Many states cap recovery fees — Georgia at 10%. A 25–40% quote means they're breaking the law or hoping you won't check.
Upfront money. Legitimate recovery is contingency-only. Anyone asking for payment before you're paid is taking your money, not recovering it.
No file number. A real claim references a real public record. If they won't name the county file or parcel, there may be no record at all.
Pressure to sign today. Real deadlines exist (funds do transfer to the state), but they're measured in months and years — never "by Friday."
The five-minute verification: take the file number from the letter and look it up on the county's own
surplus list, or call the county office directly. If the record is real, you can claim it yourself, free —
or choose help knowing exactly what the law says they can charge.