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Photo credit: Alexander Nguyen

More than $818,000 is owed to more than 600 businesses and individuals by the city of San Diego in the form of refunds or vendor payment checks, it was announced Friday.

According to the city’s Unclaimed Monies Report, check amounts range from $1 to $222,332.

The monies includes checks the city has already tried to send to the addresses on record. However, if a check is returned due to address issues or if the check is not cashed within six months, it’s considered unclaimed money, a city statement read.

“As stewards of public funds, it’s our responsibility to ensure that every dollar is accounted for and returned to its rightful owner,” said Roma Nichols, disbursements manager with the Department of Finance.

“We want to make sure that businesses and individuals are aware of any unclaimed funds owed to them so that they can be promptly reunited with their money.”

“We encourage everyone to take a moment to search for their name or business name to see if they are owed money,” Nichols added. “It’s a simple process that can make a significant difference.”

Last year, San Diego returned $377,576 to 83 recipients listed on that year’s report, representing 45% of the total unclaimed money returned. The average claim was $2,659.

Typically, you have about one year from when the check was issued to claim funds. For checks issued before April 1, 2024, the deadline for claims is June 17. After this date, any unclaimed funds will be transferred to the city’s General Fund on July 1, the city statement reads.

Visit www.sandiego.gov/finance/unclaimed to find and claim money.