When a relative passes, you’re entitled to their old bank accounts, safe deposit box contents, uncashed checks, insurance policies, trust funds and other accounts. One of Kim’s listeners found nearly $25,000 in a bank account he didn’t know existed. Here’s how to check if you have unclaimed money lying around somewhere.
While unclaimed money usually legally belongs to someone, it’s not the same with packages. Anyone can buy them! Here’s how to get in on the action.
How does buying unclaimed packages work?
$816 billion. That’s how much returns cost retailers last year — twice the cost in 2020. It’s no wonder, given how much we shop online and how often those purchases don’t work out.
In general, returned, undeliverable and unclaimed packages can be sold off to the highest bidder. This is not limited to retail sites like Amazon but includes the Postal Service, which generally lets packages go after 90 days.
In fact, USPS contracts a website to auction undelivered goods. That’s where we’ll begin.
GovDeals
Head to GovDeals.com to check out stuff from USPS and other government entities. What’s good about this site is you aren’t bidding on mystery boxes. You browse categories and enter a bid just as you would on any auction site. Happy hunting!
eBay
Unsurprisingly, eBay is more of a buyer-beware situation. These are often mystery packages. Some sell items they couldn’t get to the customer or returned things.
Just type “unclaimed packages” or a similar term in the search bar on the site and see what comes up.
Liquidation.com
Another website to look at is Liquidation.com, which is affiliated with GovDeals. Liquidation lets you filter by brand or retailer. The site includes packages and undelivered goods from Amazon, Target, Walmart and Home Depot.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace makes it easy to buy stuff locally. You meet the seller to pick up your purchases and skip all the shipping headaches.
Just as you would on eBay, search for “unclaimed packages.” But take extra care! When meeting in person, do it in a public place and check the items before handing over your money. It never hurts to bring a friend, either.
RELATED: Read this before you try to score a deal on Facebook Marketplace
Poshmark
You’ll occasionally come across mystery packages or undeliverable items sellers want to unload on Poshmark. You’ll find listings for returns from big names such as Walmart and Amazon. Search for “mystery box” and get a surprise package with various brands of clothing, accessories and shoes.
Bonus: Unclaimed Baggage
Unclaimed Baggage dates back to 1970 and has an agreement with airlines to purchase lost luggage. Rather than providing an unwelcome surprise (think of a bag filled with dirty laundry or worse), this site opens the bags, checks the contents and cleans them.
The baggage is available online or at the company’s store in Scottsboro, Alabama.
Read this before you buy
While there’s a fun factor that comes with the mystery, don’t expect to open a package and find gold (literally or figuratively). There’s usually a reason that an item was returned or never accepted by the buyer.
Many of these products have been sitting in a warehouse for a while and the owners want to get rid of them. There’s no guarantee of condition or functionality. What you get is what you get, and your chances of return or refund are close to zero if that.
It truly is a buyer-beware situation, as the products are typically not checked or inspected. Nobody will know if there’s a dangerous item in the box until it’s opened. As with any online purchase, check out customer reviews and seller ratings before making any moves. Ask for photos if you don’t see any.
The sites we listed above are established and generally safe, but scammers and thieves can use these platforms just like anyone else. If you’re asked for payment in the form of cryptocurrency or gift cards, run away and block the seller. This is an all-too-common and scammy practice.
Keep reading
Have you checked around the house? You could be sitting on a fortune