From the State Controller’s published file
California is holding 1,825 unclaimed property records under the surname Chao, worth $3,081,477 in total. Whether any of it is yours depends on the first name and the address, which is what the free search checks.
Search every Chao record free No account, no card. Most people find nothing — the check costs nothing either.
The city is the last address the reporting company had, which is usually where the person lived when the account went quiet — not necessarily where they live now.
| City | Records | Total held |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara | 16 | $587,627 |
| West Covina | 28 | $361,487 |
| Taoyuan | 2 | $252,318 |
| San Jose | 85 | $176,619 |
| Monterey Park | 33 | $113,319 |
| Arcadia | 45 | $106,180 |
| Diamond Bar | 19 | $62,923 |
| San Francisco | 73 | $60,969 |
| Cupertino | 24 | $59,194 |
| Rowland Heights | 23 | $55,858 |
| Stanford | 54 | $49,061 |
| Menifee | 8 | $48,547 |
These are the companies that handed the money to the State after they could no longer reach the owner. Recognising one is a strong hint that a record is yours.
Records are keyed exactly as the company typed them decades ago. If yours is not here, try a middle name, an initial, or a former surname — that is the single most common reason a search comes back empty.
Curie · Chuan · David · Wei · Liang · Wen · James · Pei · Chih · Jin · Chung · Seang · Jennifer · Kevin · Lawrence
175 of these Chao records are worth $2,500 or more, which is the point at which paying someone ten per cent to handle it starts to make sense. Below that, file it yourself — it is free, and we will show you how.
Figures from our copy of the State Controller’s published file, last rebuilt October 16, 2026. We are a private company and are not affiliated with the State Controller’s Office.
Ask me anything about California unclaimed property — how claiming works, what the State requires, what we charge, or whether a name turns up anything. I can run the real search.
I am not a lawyer and cannot say who is legally entitled to an inheritance. Our fee is capped at ten per cent by state law and nothing is owed until you have been paid.
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