So I've been doing a bit of cleaning about the house o' junk, focusing mainly on my office. I dug into the top of my closet, and in the boxes there was a stack of five store charge cards. These cards are at least seven years old. One of them states I was member since 1992. Most were probably used once to get a discount for signing up, and never used again. None of them have website information. Two don't even have a phone number to call for customer service.

It's been fun calling up these companies, telling them what's happened, and hearing them try in vain to look up account information. I've given account numbers, name, addresses from three different locations (none of them current), and social security numbers. The good news is that four out of five have absolutely no record of the card or me existing.

The bad news is that one does. I noticed that two of the cards were issued by the same company (Beneficial National Bank), so while on the phone regarding one companies card, I asked if they saw the information about the other companies card. He did confirm that I had that, but could not assist me. Uhm, hello, security issue? I mean, yes, I provided things like my name and social security card, and I brought up the other store's name, but he shouldn't have confirmed that... Anyway, he mentioned that I needed to call a different number, which he provided. However, they are only open M-F during business hours, unlike the first companies number. He gave me the phone number, which I called anyway...

...only to be connected to that company's collection services department. Guess who I get to call Monday?

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go run my credit report again. None of this showed up when we got the house, nor when we've been refinanced, but you never know.

Courtesy of msmcfeeley, you might want to check this website out. It a US Government site which will link you to the various state sites where unclaimed property is reported. I went to the CA site and am pretty sure that I'm going to have $1,300 coming back to me from escrow. An offline friend will be getting $380 back (name of friend and friend's father matched, as well as the address listed, so if they go through the process, it's gonna happen) Another has got $112.11 coming his way.

*cough*finder's fee can be no more than 10% by CA state law, and msmcfeeley'll probably want a cut of anything I get*cough*

In other news, Jen and I are looking at getting some patio furniture soon. Suprisingly, these things at Target will match what we have nicely, so if the money from above comes through, I think I know where it's going...

EDIT: Game show fandom, meet an expensive game show item.