Letter: Unclaimed property currently a big hassle

Sunday, Dec. 10, 2006 | 7:43 a.m.

Michael J. Mishak's Dec. 4 article in the Las Vegas Sun, about the obstacles and difficulties put up by the Nevada state treasurer on the Unclaimed Property Division, is right on the mark.

A couple of years ago, a small dividend check to me somehow ended up with the Unclaimed Property Division. I have had the same mailing address for more than 10 years, and the company has sent me checks to that address before and afterward.

I saw my name in the newspaper in a public notice list of unclaimed property, and I went down to the Unclaimed Property Division in the Sawyer Office Building on East Washington. I had proof of identification with me (my driver's license). Oh, no, you can't just do that. You need to fill out a couple of pages, have them notarized, and then along with a copy of your driver's license, mail everything back to the Unclaimed Property Division.

And no, the Unclaimed Property Division can't notarize the papers for you. Nor was there anyone in the building who could. You need to go somewhere else that has a notary public, pay whatever they charge, and have the papers notarized. Then, photocopy your driver's license and mail everything back.

I recently had to have something notarized. All that I showed the notary public (whom I have never met before) was my driver's license. The same driver's license I was willing to show the clerk at the Unclaimed Property Division. So, why the need to have to go find a notary public and have the paper notarized?

In this age of identity theft, we could also have a discussion on the merits and wisdom of the state requiring anyone to basically compile a packet of sensitive personal information and then just mail it in.

Richard L Rosenheim, Henderson