Have you forgotten a fortune? This B.C. team wants to return millions to rightful owners

In an era inundated with scams involving mysteriousprinces or easy fortunes if you just hand over a few bucks inadvance you're probably right to be wary of anyone offering freemoney.

But Sherry MacLennan and Lindsey Moore really might have somecash for you, British Columbians. Maybe even millions.

The pair are part of a team of six running B.C. Unclaimed, recentlyrebranded from the B.C. Unclaimed Property Society.

Over the past 20 years, the organization has operated under a government mandate to reunite British Columbians with funds abandoned or forgotten in old bank accounts, with government departments or in the form of unclaimed court payments.

While the average payout is usually a few hundred dollars, laterthis month the society expects to hand overa record $1.98 million that the claimant did not previously knowthey owned.

'We really do hold your money'

One of the challenges they face is skepticism that what theyoffer is real.

"Every year we advertise, trying to get our name out there sothat people know that this service does exist in British Columbia,and that our letters [are]not just some sort of phishing scamtrying to get your identification,'' said Moore, a co-ordinator withthe society.

"We really do hold your money if you've got a letter from us.''

British Columbia is one of four jurisdictions in Canada that haveprograms to help people find unclaimed money.

In B.C., institutions like banks, credit unions, courts andgovernment bodies are required to hand over funds if they can't findthe rightful owner after a set period of time.

It's then up to the society's team to try to track down theowners, with $190 million currently unclaimed in the province.

Using a series of government databases and search engines, theyhunt for those who have moved without telling their financialinstitutions, forgot to leave a forwarding address with an oldemployer, or are unaware a court is holding money for them.

Over $21.5M returned

Last year, the society handed over $1.7 million. Since itsinception it has returned more than $21.5 million.

"Every time I tell people what we do for work, they think,'Well, I wouldn't forget about unclaimed money,' but hundreds ofthousands of people have,'' Moore said.

MacLennan, the society's executive director, said its lettersinforming potential beneficiaries have been met with increasingskepticism as financial scams have grown in popularity.

"We send letters so that they can review them, that they canGoogle us, that they can do their own research and satisfythemselves that we're legit,'' she said.

"And we always tell people there's no urgency, the money willalways be there for you. Because we know con artists will sometimessay 'Oh, you've got to decide now and you've got to act fast.'"

Search your name

The society's website includes an online database people can use to see if their name is linked to any money as well as links to the legislation that governs its work, all in an effort to promote their legitimacy.

Privacy rules prevent Moore and MacLennan from discussing detailsof the record-breaking $1.98 million set to be returned except tosay that the account was held by the courts related to litigation.

They say large sums can be common in legal situations likeforeclosures, if money is left over after debts are paid off.

"But most people, if they've been foreclosed on, or they've beensued for debt, chances are they've been representing themselves,''MacLennan said.

"They don't have a lawyer telling them what to do, to go getthat money. It's emotional. They probably never want to think aboutthe situation again."

Dormant account holding $1.9M

The society says thereis at least one more seven-figure windfall inB.C., a dormant account holding $1.9 million.

The vast majority of claimants do not, of course, become instantmillionaires. But Moore said even a few hundred unexpected dollarscan make a difference.

"I think a lot of elderly people, I would say, can be the mostgrateful because I think even a small dollar amount can make a bigdifference if you're on the fixed income,'' she said.

Legally there is no expiry date for when money can be reclaimed.But every year, the society works with actuaries to decide how muchmoney will likely never find its rightful owner, and that amount is donated instead.

Since 2013, about $55 million has been donated to the VancouverFoundation, which distributes grants to hundreds of charities and non-profits in B.C. every year.