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12 August, 2024
- By Samantha Heckel
- sheckel@patreasury.gov
Gift cards were reported to Treasury with no known owners following criminal investigations
NOTE: Video, interviews and images from today’s press conference will be available here.
Hershey, PA - Treasurer Stacy Garrity today announced that more than $21,000 in unclaimed property gift cards are being donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA, Special Olympics Pennsylvania, and Veterans Multi-Service Center.
“We’re always working to return unclaimed property to rightful owners, but there are some cases – like the gift cards we’re donating today – where that’s simply impossible to do. I couldn’t be happier that we’re turning this into a positive by making these donations to three wonderful nonprofit organizations. Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics Pennsylvania, and Veterans Multi-Service Center all make a huge impact in the lives of Pennsylvanians every day. These organizations have touched countless lives, and I’m honored to help support their missions and the people they serve.”
Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity
The total balance of the gift cards is $21,662.42. It will be donated to the organizations as follows:
- Ronald McDonald House of Central PA: $7,281.48
- Special Olympics Pennsylvania: $7,200.00
- Veterans Multi-Service Center: $7,180.94
During a press conference held at Ronald McDonald House in Hershey, Karla Mitchell, Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House of Central PA, and Josh Burke, Regional Executive Director, of Special Olympics Capital Area Region, accepted the gift cards. Because the Veterans Multi-Service Center was unable to join the press conference, their gift cards will be delivered separately.
“Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA is extremely grateful to the Pennsylvania Treasury Department for this generous donation of gift cards. Gift cards allow our organization to purchase what we need, when we need it, for the families we serve at RMHC-CP. It significantly reduces any issues of storage or possible expiration dates. We appreciate being one of the organizations chosen to receive this unique form of support.”
Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA (RMHC-CP) Karla Mitchell
“We are so grateful to Treasurer Garrity and her team not only for this amazing donation of gift cards but her partnership and commitment to making the world a more inclusive place for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics Pennsylvania serves more than 15,000 athletes around the state and all of our sports, health and leadership programming is provided free of charge. Donations like these help us offset the cost of travel, equipment, and much more.”
Regional Executive Director, Capital Area Region, Special Olympics Pennsylvania Josh Burke
“On behalf of the Veterans Multi-Service Center, I extend our gratitude to Treasurer Garrity for this generous $7,000 donation of gift cards. This support will significantly enhance our ability to provide essential services and resources to Veterans in need. Treasurer Garrity’s commitment to our Veterans exemplifies true leadership and compassion, and we are thankful for her continued partnership in serving those who have served our country.”
Executive Director, Veterans Multi-Service Center Joe Brooks
The 53 gift cards, which are Target, Visa, and MasterCard gift cards, were reported as unclaimed property to Treasury by the Abington Township Police Department in Montgomery County and the West Manchester Township Police Department in York County.
The unclaimed property was reported to Treasury following two separate investigations involving gift cards that were likely purchased with fraudulently obtained credit cards. Those investigations led to three arrests. These scams typically involve actors obtaining compromised credit card numbers and using them to purchase gift cards as a way to “wash” the funds.
Because the cards were reported to Treasury with no information regarding the rightful owners, they are being donated to the nonprofits. Treasury has made similar donations several times in the past, including in 2019 and 2017.
“I want to thank the Abington Township and West Manchester Township police departments for the great work they did investigating these crimes, and for reporting the gift cards to Treasury as required by state law. We hosted a webinar for police departments earlier this year as part of our ongoing outreach efforts to ensure that all holders of unclaimed property understand their responsibility to turn it over to Treasury at the appropriate time.”
Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA keeps families together in a comforting and safe environment while their children receive essential medical care. The organization provides free temporary housing and comforting respite services steps away from the patient’s bedside to families of seriously ill children who are being treated at Penn State Children’s Hospital and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital.
Special Olympics Pennsylvania provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
Veterans Multi-Service Center is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization providing comprehensive services to Veterans since 1980. Its mission is to provide services, programs, opportunity and advancement to Veterans of the U.S military and their families. Veterans Multi-Service Center has multiple offices in Pennsylvania and services families across the state.
Unclaimed property can include things like dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks, and more. State law requires most unclaimed property to be reported to Treasury after three years of dormancy. In the case of police departments, unclaimed property must be reported to Treasury three years from the date the case was adjudicated if there is a known owner, or one year if there is no known owner. More information is available in Treasury’s Holder Reporting Booklet.
More than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property is currently waiting to be claimed. More than one in ten Pennsylvanians is owed unclaimed property, and the average claim is worth about $1,600.
To search Treasury’s unclaimed property database, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.
