"Unclaimed property consists of money and other personal assets that are considered lost or abandoned when an owner cannot be located after a specified period of time. These assets can include checking accounts, certificates of deposit, customer deposits and over-payments, gift certificates, paid-up life insurance policies, unpaid wages, commissions, uncashed checks, death benefits, dividends, insurance payments, money orders, refunds, savings accounts, stocks, and proceeds of safe deposit box auctions.

After the property holders attempt to locate the owners, the Office of Finance and Treasury's Unclaimed Property Unit collects the assets. It then attempts to find current and former residents to help them claim the assets held in custody for them by the District ." (taken from Washington DC Website)