Help Me Hank: Help Me Hank! Abandoned Property

Jimmy Carter in Washington, "Kramer vs. Kramer" at the movies and on the radio: "My Sharona." It was 1979.

So what was Paul doing that year?

Paul
"I was framing homes, and I lived in Lowell, Mass."

Now, fast-forward 20 years. Bill Clinton, "Shakespeare In Love" and Celine Dion. It was 1999.

Paul had moved to Colorado and saw a report on abandoned property. You know, money from old paychecks and insurance payments and unclaimed refunds. He hit the Web to check it out.

Paul
"I indeed did have some money out there floating around."

His $165 had been there for a while!

Paul
"Since 1979."

Turns out that it was a refund from the phone company Paul used way back then! So, Paul called the Mass. Treasury, and the paperwork to get the cash arrived in the mail.

Paul
"I had to fill out the form and mail it back."

But look at the instructions. Before he could get his money, he had to get the phone company to sign the form confirming he was the Paul who was owed the money.

Trouble was that 1979 phone company was long gone. Paul tried to track down his records, but no way.

Paul
"Just got no where, got no where, got no where."

By this time, they had moved to New Hampshire.

So Paul's wife called the Mass. Treasurer's office, but they just mailed out another form still, demanding the release from the non-existent company.

Cyndy
"It seemed to be a dead end."

Cyndy, out of patience, tried to explain the dilemma, but was told to just get the signature.

Cyndy
"What do we have to do to get it back?"

Paul had a better idea.

Paul
"Let's just get Help Me Hank!"

OK, current events: George Bush, "Dreamgirls" and Justin Timberlake.

We knew that if it was Paul's money. He deserved to have it. But we also knew that after 20 years, there was no way those records would still exist.

So, we headed to the Mass. Treasurer's office and showed them Paul's stack of identifying paperwork, proving he was the Paul the money belonged to, and finally, they agreed.

Paul
"Right on, Help Me Hank!"

And shortly after, something different arrived in Paul's mailbox. This time, it was the long-awaited check for his long-lost refund.

Paul
"I thought that was just awesome."

There's lots of missing money still at the treasurer's office waiting to be claimed. Check the link below to see if any of it could be yours.

(Copyright (c) 2007 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)