In 1986, HUD/FHA established an effective way of getting this money back to the people. They decided to publish state listings of these unclaimed refund cases and allow anyone who is interested to assist in getting these unclaimed refunds to the people they are owed to.
You are allowed to contact these people, let them know they have an unclaimed refund, and then receive a substantial processing fee for the assistance you provide. The processing fee you receive can be as much as 20% of the amount of the refund.
The Refund Processor Quick-Start Kit available through United Refund Services will provide you with everything you need to be successful in this program.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The following are a list of frequently asked questions. We have narrowed down the list to what we think are the most pertinent questions. If you have any further questions after reading this you can contact our office or HUD/FHA at (202) 708-1112.
Question: How many people have money coming to them?
Answer: Currently there are approximately 95,000 people nationwide, including the commonwealth of Puerto Rico due refunds as a result of this program.
Question: What's the dollar amount of these refunds? Answer: The average refunds are approximately $800 to $1,400. The highest refunds are around $5,000.
Question: Why doesn't HUD/FHA do this themselves?
Answer: It was determined that the cost involved with creating a division
within HUD/FHA for the sole purpose of returning this money back to the people would far exceed the cost of allowing people to do this for them independently.
Question: Why didn't the people collect their refund?
Answer: The most common reasons are: 1) Over time most people simply
forget that they are entitled to a refund therefore do not contact HUD/FHA to claim it. 2) The home was sold and the individual did not provide a forwarding address at the post office. 3) The letter that is sent to them by HUD/FHA notifying them of their refund is often mistaken as ''junk mail.''
Question: How do I contact these people? Answer: In some cases they have simply refinanced their home and can still be contacted at the address shown on the state listing. For the ones that have moved, the internet is a great way to locate these people. There are several free people search directories that our training information illustrates, that will allow you to find these people very quickly. Once you have located a refund recipient you can contact them either by phone or regular postal mailing. You simply choose which approach is best for you. If you decide to write to them you will send this letter using a handwritten envelope. This is a great way to get their attention and to avoid the possibility that they could mistake your letter as ''junk mail.''
Question: Can I get a state listing from HUD/FHA and do this on my own?
Answer:
Yes, but HUD/FHA does not provide training or ''how to'' information. You will not know what to say to these refund recipients and how to get paid for your services. However, United Refund Services does provide complete training information. There will be nothing for you to figure out on your own. United Refund Services provides both the training information as well as the unclaimed cases.
Question: Do I get paid by HUD/FHA or by the people who have money owed to them?
Answer: By the people. In no case will HUD/FHA make a
seperate check payable to you.
Question: How do I decide what processing fee to charge? Answer: You can charge whatever you feel is fair for your services. A 10% to 20% processing fee is widely considered a program standard. You can charge more than 20% but if you do you might encounter some reluctancy from the refund recipient in acquiring your services. You can even charge a ''flat'' fee.
Question: How much money can I make doing this? Answer: As with anything, the degree of overall success depends on the work ethic of the individual. If you are self-motivated then you will have better results.
Question: How long will it take me to get paid? Answer: We will show you two different payment options that you may choose from. One of these options will allow you to be paid after the individual has received their refund, the other will allow you to be paid within a few days of
contacting a client.
Question: Once I contact a refund recipient what will stop them from doing this themselves?
Answer: When you contact them you will only inform them that they have
an
unclaimed refund and that you will help them collect it for a fee. Once they have committed to a payment option, you then disclose the reason for the refund.
Question: Does HUD/FHA require you to be licensed?
Answer: No. HUD/FHA requires no license because you are not dealing
directly with these funds.
Question: Do I have to do a lot of selling to the refund recipient in order for them to be interested in my services?
Answer:
Not at all. People are very happy when they find out that they have an unclaimed refund and that you will assist them in collecting it. Our program will show you the proper wording to use when notifying a refund recipient of their refund (this is extremely important). Remember, you don't even have to speak to a refund recipient unless you choose to. You will be given a pre-written introductory letter example that you can simply copy and send to them.
Question: What is the purpose of the ''Found Case'' form? Answer: The ''Found Case'' form is the form you will provide to the refund recipients that you are helping. The top portion of the form is for your information (name, address and telephone #) and the bottom is for the refund recipient to fill out. Once this form is completed it is sent to HUD/FHA. At this point your job is done.
Question: Do I need to have experience or a background in any certain field to be able to do this?
Answer: No experience is necessary. You will know how to process these
refunds after reading over the simple instructions that are included in our training information. Reading over the training information will take you about 30 minutes or so.
Question: Do the people need to pay taxes on these refunds?
Answer: No, they do not have to report their refund on their income
taxes.
Important: Never mislead a refund recipient by claiming to
be an employee of HUD/FHA or the Federal Government. Following this simple rule will allow you to operate in accordance with the guidelines of this program. You will be just as successful by properly representing yourself as a ''third party'' Processor.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has permitted the release of these unclaimed cases. Even though the state listings of refund cases are updated monthly it is only necessary to purchase a state listing approximately once every three months.
The following is an actual unclaimed case. First you will see the name of the refund recipient. The address, city, state abbreviation and zip code shows you where their HUD/FHA insured mortgage was paid off. Following the address is the amount of the refund. The 9 digit number following the refund amount is the case number (the case number is needed when completing the Found Case form). And lastly, the date shows you when the refund became available.
PETERSON, LEONARD J
14421 S. 47TH PL
PHOENIX, AZ 85044 Amount: $1,134.27 #021-860701 Date: 03/12/1999
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Using the above example, you could charge a 20% processing fee which would equal $261. Most cases you process will have approximately the same unclaimed amount as the example above. However, some refunds are much larger therefore your processing fee would increase as well. Keep in mind that you can also charge a ''flat'' fee.
The following is another actual unclaimed case.
DALEY, DOREEN 1879 S. COCHRAN AVE #18
LOS ANGELES, CA. 90019 Amount: $4,909.29 #041-942046 Date: 4/23/1998 |
If you were to process this unclaimed case, a 20% processing fee would equal $981.
Even If you were to only charge a $75 ''flat'' fee per case, and by working just part-time you helped only one or two people receive their refunds per week, you can then get a good idea of how much earning potential this program offers if you wanted to take it further.
Ordering state listings from HUD/FHA
The following are the prices for state listings available through HUD/FHA -- excluding shipping and handling.
Alabama (AL) $25
Alaska (AK) $20
Arizona (AZ) $40
Arkansas (AR) $20
California (CA) $135
Colorado (CO) $25
Connecticut (CT) $25
Delaware (DE) $20
Dist. of Columbia (D.C.) $20
Florida (FL) $60
Georgia (GA) $30
Hawaii (HI) $20
Idaho (ID) $20
Illinois (IL) $30
Indiana (IN) $30
Iowa (IA) $20
Kansas (KS) $20
Kentucky (KY) $20
Louisiana $25
Maine (ME) $20
Maryland (MD) $25
Massachusetts (MA) $30
Michigan (MI) $45
Minnesota (MN) $25
Mississippi (MS) $25
Missouri (MO) $30
Montana (MT) $20
Nebraska (NE) $20
Nevada (NV) $25
New Hampshire (NH) $20
New Jersey (NJ) $40
New Mexico (NM) $25
New York (NY) $75
North Carolina (NC) $25
North Dakota (ND) $20
Ohio (OH) $35
Oklahoma (OK) $30
Oregon (OR) $25
Pennsylvania (PA) $35
Puerto Rico (PR) $65
Rhode Island (RI) $20
South Carolina (SC) $25
South Dakota (SD) $23
Tennessee (TN) $30
Texas (TX) $70
Utah (UT) $25
Vermont (VT) $20
Virginia (VA) $30
Washington State (WA) $35
West Virginia (WV) $20
Wisconsin (WI) $20
Wyoming (WY) $20
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It is important to know that these people have six years to claim their refund from the day it became available. With this in mind be sure to skip cases on the listing that are shown as six years prior to the current date, and beyond.
If you would like to purchase state listings from HUD/FHA you will find the HUD/FHA state listings order form on page 2. Expect approximately four to six weeks for delivery of state listings ordered from HUD/FHA.
Remember that processing just one unclaimed case can pay for these state listings.
United Refund Services includes these unclaimed cases on a state-by-state basis, with the purchase of the quick-start kit.
These state listings will come in sets of 500 cases and will represent the most recently added cases, therefore are the ones you will have the most success with.
These unclaimed cases will be in the form of clickable web links. To view the cases, simply click on the state list link of your choice.
Note: Regardless of where you purchase this program, be sure you are getting the state listings with the program. You cannot start immediately without them.
What You Will Get With This Program |
The Refund Processor Quick-Start Kit that we offer will provide you with: Easy to understand step-by-step instructions.
The Found Case Form which you can simply print out or reduplicate entirely.
The payment agreement that both you and the refund recipient sign.
The Power of Attorney form which will allow the refund check to be sent to you.
The national listing of unclaimed refund cases so you can start immeditately.
Benefits of The Refund Processor Quick-Start Kit |
The following are just a few benefits of The Refund Processor Quick-Start kit.
You can set your own hours.
You can work as much or as little as you choose.
You will receive the unclaimed cases so you can start immediately.
You can have your own home business.
There's no selling involved.
You can work by yourself, with someone else, or in a group if you want to.
You can have the rewarding feeling of helping
others.
You can make excellent income from the comfort of home.
For Ordering Information Click Here.
© Copyright United Refund Services 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. All Rights Reserved. |