Charleston , Kanawha County , West Virginia

Millions of dollars in West Virginia go unclaimed each year.

But Friday afternoon, State Treasurer John Perdue was able to give some of that back.

"This is the perfect time, Christmastime, to be able to return someone some money," Perdue said.

And that's exactly what Perdue did. He gave Bill Ramsey of Clarksburg $25,000 that was rightfully his, but had gone unclaimed.

"I didn't expect this," Ramsey said. "I thought maybe a couple hundred dollars or so, but to get thousands is something else."

So how did Ramsey rack up so much unclaimed money?

"Not opening all the mail. You know, thinking it might be junk mail and laying it aside. Moved several times and each time you leave that," he said

Perdue said unclaimed property is pretty common. People throughout the state leave money unclaimed every year -- millions of dollars the state has to return.

"We average somewhere between $5 million and $7 million in returns every year. It continues to grow," Perdue said.

And now Ramsey has a growing holiday shopping budget, and Perdue has done his job.

"When we're able to return money, that puts a smile on, as you can see everyone's face that they're getting something back," Perdue said.

To see if you have any unclaimed property, you can visit the treasurer's site at www.wvsto.com.

How To Contact WCHS-TV8 | Privacy Policy | FCC Public File | Terms and Conditions | DMCA Policy | Frequently Asked Questions

Home | Eyewitness News Newsroom | Storm Team Weather | Eyewitness Sports | Schedules

---

Send email to news@wchstv.com for information or comments concerning WCHS-TV Eyewitness News.

Copyright ©2013, WCHS-TV8. Portions are
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed.