Finding your name or a possible investment in an unclaimed-money search can be exciting, but discovering a record is only the beginning.
If you have found lost shares in Australia, the next step is to understand the record, collect the correct documents and establish that you are the rightful owner.
ASIC provides an Original Transaction Number (OTN) for each relevant unclaimed-money record. Keep this number because it is needed when submitting a claim.
Don't rely only on your current information.
Look for previous:
ASIC requires specific evidence to establish ownership, and documentation that doesn't match the relevant information can result in a claim being rejected.
An old investment may look unfamiliar because the company has changed over the years.
Mergers, acquisitions, de-mergers and other corporate changes can make an original shareholding difficult to recognise.
This is one reason lost investment tracing can require historical research rather than simply searching for a company name.
The Australian Government's unclaimed-money search is free, and you can make an eligible claim yourself. Moneysmart also notes that third-party claim services may charge fees, so it's important to understand the service and check the provider before proceeding.