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NY comptroller: Register your holiday gift cards before you forget

The New York Comptroller’s Office says gift cards that go unused for years are turned over to their office as unclaimed funds.

News 12 Staff

Jan 12, 2026, 6:07 PM

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Still holding on to those gift cards from the holiday? State officials want you to register them and not forget about them.

The New York Comptroller’s Office says gift cards that go unused for years are turned over to their office as unclaimed funds.

That’s why they are urging consumers to register their gift cards so the forgotten funds can be easily claimed.

“If you get a gift card from a major retailer, register your information because if for some reason you stick it in the drawer, and you never use it and the gift card expires or becomes dormant, that retailer is obligated to turn the gift card over to the comptroller's office,” says state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. “We will then hold on to it as unclaimed funds. And if you want to claim it, we need that information from your registration for you to easily claim that money.”

Last year, the comptroller’s office recovered more than $28 million from unused from gift cards.

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