Old account held $1,200 windfall

Who wouldn't love a little extra cash in their pocket?

Hundreds even thousands of dollars could be out there, just waiting for you to claim it, if you know where to look.

How to find unclaimed money

For years, 5 On Your Side has been telling you about the millions of dollars held by North Carolina Unclaimed Property database. It's unclaimed money, from places like a forgotten bank account, old paychecks, even insurance premiums. To see if your name is on the list, you just have to go to the website.

"As soon as I went on it, my name popped up," said Toby Blackmon.

After seeing previous stories on missing money, Blackmon decided to search his name. He found it listed, twice, for money he didn't know he was owed.

"I'm unemployed, so it helps out," he said.

The first check arrived for $145. The second check never came so Blackmon called 5 On Your Side for help.

We contacted the state treasurer's office. The check for $1,252 was immediately mailed! "That's good," said Blackmon.

So what does he plan to do with his unexpected windfall? "Pay bills and probably go to the beach," he said. 

5 On Your Side's Monica Laliberte asked him what he'd say to anyone at home who might think the search is not worth their time.

"Well, I would say check it," advised Blackmon. "I tell all my friends, you know, to go ahead and check."