COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Unclaimed Funds is returning to the Ohio State Fair to help fairgoers search for and claim their lost or forgotten money. The 2024 Ohio State Fair will run from July 24 to Aug. 4.
The division will have a booth available in the Department of Commerce’s “Commerce House” inside the Bricker Building, which is located in the middle of the fairgrounds. (Click here to view a map of the fairgrounds.)
During the 2023 Ohio State Fair, more than 1,000 claimants found a total of $322,729.94 while visiting the Unclaimed Funds booth. One fairgoer found more than $50,000, while another found more than $28,000 in unclaimed funds. The average claim discovered during last year’s fair was over $300.
Staff from the Division of Unclaimed Funds will be on hand throughout the fair to walk visitors through the process of searching for their missing money and claiming those funds, as well as to answer any questions they may have about the process involved.
“The Ohio State Fair is our largest in-person outreach event and is something we look forward to each year,” Division Superintendent Akil Hardy said. “Last year, we were successful in helping Ohioans find more than $322,000, and this year, our team hopes to help fairgoers find even more missing money.”
Unclaimed funds are lost or forgotten money that businesses and banks report to the Division after accounts become inactive, typically 3-5 years. The money comes from inactive checking and saving accounts, refund/credit balances, uncashed cashier’s checks, stocks and bonds, forgotten utility deposits or last paychecks.
The division is currently safeguarding approximately $4 billion in unclaimed funds. Ohioans can claim their unclaimed funds at any time with three simple steps:
Search for money at unclaimedfunds.ohio.gov
Gather the required supporting documents
Send the information to the division either online or by mail
While visiting the Commerce House, fairgoers can also learn all about the Department of Commerce and its various divisions and programs. The Commerce House will feature a number of items, including its popular bottle lottery, fire extinguisher simulator, homebuyer checklist, and fun giveaways.
