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Why have I been contacted regarding finances that have been lost?
As refund consultants, we take it upon ourselves to reach out, assist and work with people that are entitled to lost and unclaimed money.
We may have contacted you because we believe that lost money could be due to you.
In most cases, people find it a nice surprise to learn that money they were unaware of could belong to them.
Smartfind are experienced in navigating through the complex maze of legislation, we simplify the process, so you can get your refund quickly and get on with your life.
Who we Help
Government & Charities
Individuals
Corporate & Business
What is lost and unclaimed money?
Individuals and companies occasionally lose track of the money they own, for example bank accounts, shares, investments and life insurance policies.
This may happen because of a change of address, a change of name, a change of employer, a move overseas or just plain oversight.
When this happens and the financial institution is unable to locate the owner, the money is then considered lost.
In most cases lost money is transferred into a Government Trust Account and will remain there until claimed.
If owners of this money do not step forward with a claim it will be taken up as Government revenue and in most cases this is the inevitable fate.
What can make this process rather difficult is that each state in Australia has separate laws relating to lost funds and each have their own set of individual claiming rules and procedures.
Small mistakes can be costly, time consuming and can mean a difficult and lengthy return process.
Smartfind will ensure that your claim is completed and processed correctly the first time, saving both your time and your sanity!
How do people misplace millions of dollars every year?
Every day, people and businesses leave cash in financial institutions, insurance companies, and with government authorities. It’s human nature to forget and even the best kept records can have gaps. As absurd as it sounds, it happens constantly. It is estimated that 1 in 3 individuals actually have money owing to them without their knowledge. Most commonly, money is lost because of:
Overseas Move
Perhaps you forgot about a deposit? (It's more common than you think.) Many people move overseas and forget to notify or change their details with their service providers.
Oversight
People forget about their investments all the time. Maybe you invested in some shares when you were 20 and forgot all about them, this is quite common.
Moved House
Perhaps you moved house and may have forgotten to update your new contact details to the relevant organization and they were unable to contact you or your new address may not have been updated correctly.
If I choose not to claim these lost monies, what happens then?
The answer is simple; the funds will stay (in many cases) in a government trust account and will remain unclaimed.
Once a certain period of time has passed and depending on which authority holds the funds, the money will be transferred into the Government’s consolidated revenue fund. In other words, the Government gets it, and it’s gone!
How is my money returned?
Our refund experts specialise in finding unclaimed funds for Australian individuals and companies.
We manage the whole claims process, verifying the identity of the rightful owner(s).
We take care of the documentation and submission of the claims, then we pay the refund directly into your preferred account.
Types of lost money waiting to be reunited with its owners:
Bank Accounts
Shares
Life Insurance
Read more about Unclaimed Money in the news
While this particular article discusses bank accounts alone, you can see you’re not alone in having lost funds. A staggering $1.1 billion is currently sitting unclaimed by Australians.
Testimonials
What people are saying
"Thank you for finding my money. It was a good to learn that there was some money belonging to me. I will be more careful in the future, but good to know that you are there for us if it were to happen again."
"Thank you so much for helping me claim back my money. I had no correspondence to help me claim it back without your help and I would have lost it."
What Keeps us in check!
What laws do you have to abide by?
There are many laws in place that protect you as a consumer and your lost money. It is an offence under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to give false or misleading information or documentation. This means that we are bound by law to ensure that we undertake correct procedures. It also means that we are bound by law to promptly refund your funds into your preferred bank account or by cheque.
How do we stay up to date?
We are trained through Create Australia, they serve as a third party validating our claim as a refund consulting agent. We are frequently updated with industry information which keeps our knowledge and training relevant so you can be sure you are putting your trust in the hands of up-to-date industry experts.