Email scams impersonating the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) have surged dramatically over the past year. One official received hundreds of reports from individuals claiming they had been contacted by fraudsters pretending to represent NAUPA, representing a tenfold increase in scam reports compared to previous years. These coordinated phishing campaigns exploit the legitimate work of unclaimed property administrators and prey on people’s desire to recover funds they may have legitimately left behind with banks, employers, or insurance companies. The scams are effective because they mimic official communications so closely that even cautious people can be fooled.
A typical victim might receive an email claiming to be from a “NAUPA regional auditor” named something like “Mrs. Alexis James,” complete with official-looking letterhead and logos. The message creates a false sense of urgency by claiming the recipient’s account has been flagged for a “significant issue” or that a deadline is approaching, then requests fees, personal information, or resubmission of documents. By the time victims realize they’ve been scammed, they’ve already surrendered sensitive data or paid money they’ll never recover.
Table of Contents
- What Is Driving the Increase in NAUPA Impersonation Scams?
- How Do Fraudsters Successfully Impersonate NAUPA?
- What Are the Most Common Tactics Used in These Scams?
- How Can You Protect Yourself from NAUPA Email Scams?
- What Information Should You Never Share in Unclaimed Property Communications?
- How Do You Verify if an Unclaimed Property Communication Is Real?
- What’s the Future of Unclaimed Property Fraud Prevention?
- Conclusion
What Is Driving the Increase in NAUPA Impersonation Scams?
The rise in NAUPA email scams reflects a broader trend of sophisticated fraud targeting vulnerable populations. The National Association of State Treasurers issued official warnings in 2026 alerting the public that fraudsters are increasingly attempting to impersonate NAUPA and NAST representatives. This is not a coincidence—scammers target unclaimed property databases because they know that tens of billions of dollars in legitimate unclaimed funds sit waiting for rightful owners, making this fraud vector particularly lucrative.
The Federal Trade Commission published specific consumer guidance in March 2026 detailing how to handle unexpected communications about unclaimed funds, indicating this has become a priority issue for federal law enforcement. The dramatic increase in complaints suggests that scammers have refined their tactics and are casting wider nets than ever before. Some security researchers believe the uptick is partially due to data breaches that exposed names and financial information, allowing scammers to personalize their phishing emails and appear more credible.
How Do Fraudsters Successfully Impersonate NAUPA?
Scammers impersonating NAUPA are using increasingly sophisticated methods to appear legitimate. They create nearly identical copies of official NAUPA branding, letterhead, and email templates. They research the names of actual NAUPA officials or create believable-sounding titles and names to establish authority. The fake communications include specific details about unclaimed property processes, state treasury procedures, and database names that make the scams appear to come from genuine government sources.
Some fraudsters even copy the language and formatting from actual state treasurer websites to increase their credibility. The limitation of current defenses is that email authentication systems alone cannot catch these scams. A skilled fraudster can spoof email addresses or use lookalike domains (for example, unclaimed-property.org instead of unclaimed.org) that are hard to distinguish at first glance. Victims often don’t scrutinize sender addresses closely because the message content appears to confirm legitimacy. This is why NAUPA has emphasized that it never initiates contact with individuals—a fact most people don’t know until they’ve already been compromised.
What Are the Most Common Tactics Used in These Scams?
NAUPA impersonation scams rely on a predictable playbook designed to exploit urgency and legitimacy simultaneously. Scammers claim the recipient has unclaimed property waiting, then state that a verification process or update is required immediately. They may falsely claim the account is at risk of forfeiture or that a deadline is approaching. They request fees, claiming these are “processing costs” or “verification fees” required to release the funds—a clear red flag since legitimate unclaimed property recovery never requires advance payment.
Another common tactic involves requesting sensitive personal information: Social Security numbers, bank account details, driver’s license numbers, or other identifying documents. Scammers convince victims that this information is needed to “verify their identity” in the system. One specific example that has circulated involves a fake NAUPA representative claiming the recipient’s account requires resubmission of documents due to a “database migration,” then requesting copies of bank statements, tax returns, and identification. The victim complies thinking they’re protecting their assets, only to discover later that their identity has been stolen or their bank accounts have been compromised.
How Can You Protect Yourself from NAUPA Email Scams?
The best defense against NAUPA impersonation scams is understanding what NAUPA does and does not do. NAUPA does not initiate contact with individuals about unclaimed property. It does not process sweepstakes or lottery claims. It does not collect fees from people to release unclaimed funds. It does not reimburse people for taxes or fees related to unclaimed property recovery. If you receive any communication claiming to be from NAUPA that involves any of these activities, it is fraudulent.
When searching for unclaimed property, bypass email entirely and use only official, free government resources. The legitimate NAUPA website is unclaimed.org. Another official resource is missingmoney.com, which is also free and run by state treasurers. These websites allow you to search for unclaimed property across multiple states without providing unnecessary personal information upfront. If you find property in your name through these official channels, you can then proceed with legitimate claim filing through your state’s treasurer office. The comparison is clear: scammers will contact you, demand information, and ask for money. Legitimate unclaimed property processes require you to contact the government, never require advance fees, and protect your personal information.
What Information Should You Never Share in Unclaimed Property Communications?
Email and unsolicited phone calls are never appropriate channels for exchanging sensitive financial information. If someone claiming to represent NAUPA, a state treasurer, or an unclaimed property database requests your Social Security number, bank account details, routing numbers, credit card information, or copies of government-issued IDs via email or phone, assume it is a scam. Legitimate unclaimed property recovery through official channels requires much less information than fraudsters demand. A critical limitation of email communication is that legitimate government agencies rarely use it to request sensitive data.
When they do need information, they direct you to secure portals or in-person offices. The warning here is stark: once you provide these details to a scammer, you have no effective way to recover them. Your identity can be stolen, your bank accounts can be drained, and your credit can be damaged for years. This is why the FTC and NAST emphasize verification above all else—if you’re uncertain whether a communication is legitimate, ignore it and initiate contact yourself through official government websites.
How Do You Verify if an Unclaimed Property Communication Is Real?
If you receive an email about unclaimed property, the safest approach is to completely ignore it and instead initiate your own search through official channels. Go directly to unclaimed.org, search your name across states, and if you find property in your name, you can then research the appropriate next steps through that state’s official treasury website. Never click links in unsolicited emails about unclaimed property, as these often lead to spoofed websites designed to steal credentials and personal information.
A practical example: if you receive an email claiming you have unclaimed property in Texas, ignore the email entirely. Instead, visit the Texas State Comptroller’s unclaimed property portal directly through an independent web search or by typing the URL yourself. You can verify through this official source whether you actually have unclaimed property in Texas. If you do, the legitimate process is clearly outlined on the official website, and it will never ask for fees or unsolicited personal information before allowing you to file a claim.
What’s the Future of Unclaimed Property Fraud Prevention?
As NAUPA impersonation scams continue to evolve, state treasurers and the FTC are implementing stronger public education campaigns and email security measures. Many states are now sending targeted warnings to residents known to have unclaimed property on file, alerting them that NAUPA will not contact them unsolicited. Some are also working with email providers to flag common phishing domains and spoof attempts.
The reality is that as long as unclaimed funds remain in state treasuries, fraudsters will attempt to exploit the recovery process. However, the dramatic increase in reported scams has finally elevated this threat to national prominence, bringing resources and attention that may slow the tide. Your responsibility remains simple: search for unclaimed property only through official free resources, never respond to unsolicited communications about unclaimed funds, and never provide personal or financial information to anyone who contacts you first about unclaimed property.
Conclusion
Email scams impersonating NAUPA have reached a critical level, with reports increasing tenfold in recent years as fraudsters refine their tactics and target increasingly larger audiences. These scams are effective because they exploit a legitimate process and mimic official communications so closely that victims often don’t realize they’ve been deceived until significant damage has been done. Understanding what NAUPA does not do—initiate contact, collect fees, or request sensitive information via email—is your strongest defense. Your path forward is straightforward: if you believe you may have unclaimed property, search for it yourself through unclaimed.org or missingmoney.com.
Never respond to unsolicited communications about unclaimed property. Never provide personal information to anyone who contacts you first. And if you’ve already been victimized by a NAUPA impersonation scam, report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to your state’s attorney general. The legitimate recovery of your unclaimed property can wait—protecting yourself from fraud cannot.