Illinois residents can now search for missing money and unclaimed property in Spanish at a new I-CASH website, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced in Moline recently.
The website, es.icash.illinoistreasurer.gov/, works the same way as its English-language counterpart, icash.illinoistreasurer.gov. Users can enter their name or business name, city, and ZIP code into the search box and if the Treasurer’s Office database of unclaimed property finds a match, a list of properties will pop up. They can then click to start filing a claim.
“We are always looking for ways to return even more missing money to people,” Mr. Frerichs said in a news release. “Spanish is the second most-common language spoken in our state, and we are providing a tool to make it easier for more people to find unclaimed property and get it back where it belongs.”
The Illinois Treasurer’s Office built the website from the ground-up to better serve the needs of Spanish-speaking residents. All of the forms have been translated into Spanish.
Like the English-language website, Illinois’ new Spanish-language site has a share button, so users can let family and friends know if they spot their name, and they get an email alerting them to the potential claim.
QC leaders on hand
Mr. Frerichs made the announcement on Friday, June 14, at Moline City Hall. He was joined by local officials who praised the website’s usefulness.
“This will be tremendously helpful to our business owners and residents whose first language is Spanish,” said Janessa Calderon, executive director of the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “They will have an easier time searching for unclaimed property and filing a claim.”
Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said “One of Moline’s strengths is its diversity, and the new Spanish-language I-CASH website will provide better service to residents in our community.”
In Rock Island County, the State Treasurer’s Office is trying to return more than 240,000 unclaimed properties worth a combined $40.3 million.
The State Treasurer’s Office has returned a record $2 billion to residents during the Treasurer’s term.
“I have never stopped fighting to return money to people that rightfully belongs to them,” Mr. Frerichs said. “We used common sense to improve the unclaimed property program, and as a result, so many Illinoisans have money in their pocket that can be used to help our state’s economy.”
