Brazilians Can Check for "Forgotten" Money in Banks
Listen to the story
Bank customers in Brazil can now check if they have money forgotten in old bank accounts.
According to reports, Brazilians currently have more than R$5.1 billion in unclaimed money sitting in banks.
This money often comes from old accounts that people stopped using or simply forgot about over the years.
To find out if they have any of this money, customers can use an official online system.
The system lets people search using their personal information, such as their name and identification number.
If the search finds money linked to a person, they can then start the process to claim it back.
This service is important because many people may not even know they have money waiting for them.
The total amount, more than R$5.1 billion, shows how much money has built up over time.
Banks are required to report this kind of unclaimed money so that customers have a chance to recover it.
Experts recommend that people check the system from time to time, especially if they have changed banks or closed old accounts in the past.
The process to check is free and does not require a lot of time or paperwork.
This system aims to reconnect people with money that legally belongs to them but has simply been forgotten.
Vocabulary10 words
- customers
- people who use a bank or company
- accounts
- places in a bank where money is kept
- unclaimed
- not collected by its owner yet
- online system
- a tool used on the internet
- identification number
- an official number that shows who a person is
- claim
- to ask for something that belongs to you
- recover
- to get something back
- billion
- a very large number: 1,000,000,000
- paperwork
- documents you must fill in or send
- reconnect
- to bring together again
Quiz
Answer key
1. More than R$5.1 billion 2. By using an official online system with personal information 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Bank customers in Brazil can now check if they have money _____ in old bank accounts.
According to reports, Brazilians currently have more than R$5.1 billion in _____ money sitting in banks.
This money often comes from old accounts that people stopped _____ or simply forgot about.
To find out if they have any of this money, customers can use an official _____ system.
The system lets people search using their personal information, such as their name and _____ number.
If the search finds money linked to a person, they can then start the process to _____ it back.
The total amount, more than R$5.1 billion, shows how much money has _____ up over time.
Banks are required to report this kind of unclaimed money so customers have a chance to _____ it.
Experts recommend that people check the system from time to time, especially if they have _____ banks.
This system aims to _____ people with money that legally belongs to them.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever forgotten about money in a bank account? What happened?
- Why do you think so much money remains unclaimed in banks?
- Do you think banks should do more to inform customers about forgotten money? Why or why not?
- Would you check this kind of system if it existed in your country? Why or why not?