Your organization could have unclaimed money

COWPENS, S.C. (WSPA) – When it comes to faith, Pastor Steven Griffith, of Mountain View Baptist Church in Cowpens, has never been lacking.

But he admitted, when someone first told him money is sitting at the state treasurer’s office waiting for people to claim it, he struggled to believe.

“I honestly doubted the whole thing. I thought, ‘that can’t be possible,'” said Pastor Griffith.

And who would blame him? Most are shocked to learn $750 million is in the South Carolina unclaimed fund right now.

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis said it’s not just for individuals. Sometimes it’s the organizations that wait the longest to search for and claim what’s rightfully theirs.

“Churches and charities, government agencies, in fact I’m going to have to go to war with a government agency, I’ve been talking to them about a claim, and they haven’t filed it. It’s $300-and-something-thousand-dollars,” said Loftis.

Back at Mountainview, parishioners did press Pastor Griffith to search. And low and behold, a $178 claim was discovered from a maintenance supply company that owed a refund.

Pastor Griffith couldn’t wait to spread the word.

“When we found that out, we got up in the church and announced it,” said Griffith.

As the church put the money towards a youth trip, it was clear, the chances of having unclaimed cash is far greater than winning the lottery, one in ten, in fact. And the pastor couldn’t help but wonder, what was the largest payout?

“I would be willing to wager, of course I don’t wager, but I bet it’s a good amount,” said Griffith.

So, we asked the South Carolina Treasurer’s Office and they said, while the majority of unclaimed cash is under $100, the largest was more than $900,000.

“Shoo, are you kidding me? Man, I wish we could have gotten that. That’s pretty neat,” said Griffith.

Don’t we all. Still, no complaints from this pastor, who said the online process was so smooth, he almost felt sinful getting so much for so little effort. Well, almost.

“I thought well this really happened and it was unbelievable, just great. Yes, I believe. I’m a firm believer, I’m a proponent, yes, yes, very much so,” he said with a laugh.

The moral of the story: why not give it a try? In fact, the treasurer’s office said right now 95 people in the Upstate have claims that are over $50,000 and 25 of those are more than $100,000.