On October 14, 2014, Samoa News published the names of nearly 1,000 people, organizations, and businesses who have unclaimed checks waiting for them at the ASG Treasury Dept.

Those listed are required to provide proof of identification or business ownership in order to collect their checks.

For individuals, payees need to bring either a US passport, a current AS driver’s license, a voter ID card, or a non-resident ID.

For businesses, ALL of the following must be presented: copy of current business license, current AS identification, copy of Articles of Incorporation (for corporations), and a copy of the partnership agreement (for partnerships).

Also, despite reports that checks which are not claimed within 30 days from the date of the publication will be forfeited, a senior Treasury employee who spoke to Samoa News yesterday said this is not true, as the listed payees are still ‘entitled’ to the checks, even after the 30-day period.

Samoa News understands that some of the unclaimed checks go as far back as three years and the payments are for “everything and anything”, including tax refunds, payroll, and vendor payments.

A Treasury Dept. source said that “some people don’t even know they have checks waiting for them. Some of them have even moved off island.”

Since the list of names was published, the Treasury Dept. has received numerous phone calls inquiring about the unclaimed checks