Our District Clerk has been contacted by this "Professional Locator Firm" with the news that her office has funds in the amounts of $5,427.84 and $2,693.46 out there somewhere, and they will be happy to help her retrieve the money.

Of course, they would like either 25 or 33 percent of the take for their assistance (depending upon how much assistance they provide).

Has anyone else dealt with these folks, and what was your experience? The contract that they propose seems to obligate the County to a lot of things, so I would like to know a bit about them before we proceed with this deal.

Your auditor probably gets records requests from these companies with some frequency. This particular company has been getting lists of our stale dated checks since 2001. I would bet that your two checks are in some public database. Once the checks go to escheat the "finders fee" cannot exceed 10% so they pester local governments for lists of uncashed checks.

If the check is with a county, the finder will not be able to get it reissued without signing an affidavit that they are the "true owner" so the Local Gov't Code might be driving some of the requirements you mentioned.

By the way, Hale County has an escheated check with the comptroller for $67.