Owner GuardianHow to Spot Surplus Funds Scams
Real surplus funds exist, which is exactly why scammers imitate them. Here is how to protect yourself.
Red flags
- Asking for an upfront fee, gift cards, crypto, or a wire transfer
- Asking for your bank login or full Social Security number by phone, text, or email
- Refusing to tell you which county or court holds the money
- Pressure to sign today or "lose everything"
- Claiming to be the county or government when they are not
- Hiding the fee or refusing to put it in writing
How to verify any offer
- Get the county, property address, and case or parcel number.
- Find the official office yourself on a .gov website.
- Ask the office to confirm the funds and the claim process.
- Read any agreement fully. Legitimate agreements state the fee and, in many states, disclose that you can file yourself.
Report fraud
You can report suspected scams to the FTC and your state attorney general.
Published October 2026. General information, not legal advice.