MissingMoney.com Helps Americans Claim $75 Million in First Year.

Business Editors

OWINGS MILLS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 2000

Free national unclaimed property Web site puts money back

in the hands of Americans

MissingMoney.com, the free national Web site that helps Americans locate their lost assets and unclaimed property, today celebrates its one-year anniversary.

Since the site launched, it has generated more than 300,000 claim requests worth an estimated $75 million. MissingMoney.com has helped millions of Americans search for lost savings accounts, stocks, pay checks and other financial instruments that have been forgotten or lost over time. Powered by CheckFree (Nasdaq: CKFR), the leading provider of financial electronic commerce software and services, the site makes finding lost assets a free, easy and fun experience for the one-in-eight Americans that have unclaimed property.

"MissingMoney.com performs a vital public service for the American people," said Stephen Larson, president of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) and executive officer III of the Iowa state treasurer's office. "The site helps states extend their efforts to assist people, regardless of where they reside, by providing a one-stop-shop for finding lost assets quickly and efficiently."

Currently, 27 U.S. states plus Washington, DC have loaded their data on the MissingMoney.com database and regularly provide new listings to the site. With the ease of clicking a mouse, consumers can tap into the national database to search and claim their rightful assets. According to Larson, experts estimate that state and local governments hold over $14 billion in unclaimed assets awaiting legitimate owners.

"No other Web site gets this much money back into the hands of this many Americans," said Mike Meriton, president of MissingMoney.com and senior vice president of CheckFree. "It's been a great year helping states return lost assets to their residents, and we look forward to many more years of providing this free, state-sponsored service to the public."

"MissingMoney.com changed my life by finding me the money I needed for surgery," said Juliet Elizabeth Blair of Miami, Florida. "I simply typed in my name and found unclaimed property--nearly $5,000!--that I would have not known about otherwise."

To speak with MissingMoney.com, a representative from NAUPA or an American who has found money using the site, please contact Chuck Kabat or Scott Love at 781-684-0770. And remember to check out www.missingmoney.com to locate your lost money today!