177.04 Travelers checks and money orders.
(1) Subject to sub. (4), any sum payable on a travelers check that has been outstanding for more than 15 years after its issuance is presumed abandoned unless the owner, within 15 years, has communicated in writing with the issuer concerning it or otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file prepared by an employee of the issuer.
(2) Subject to sub. (4), any sum payable on a money order or similar written instrument, other than a 3rd-party bank check, that has been outstanding for more than 7 years after its issuance is presumed abandoned unless the owner, within 7 years, has communicated in writing with the issuer concerning it or otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file prepared by an employee of the issuer.
(3) A holder may not deduct from the amount of any travelers check, money order or similar written instrument any charge imposed by reason of the failure to present the instrument for payment unless there is a valid and enforceable written contract between the issuer and the owner of the property pursuant to which the issuer may impose a charge and the issuer regularly imposes those charges and does not regularly reverse or otherwise cancel them.
(4) No sum payable on a travelers check, money order or similar written instrument, other than a 3rd-party bank check, described in subs. (1) and (2) may be subjected to the custody of this state as unclaimed property unless one of the following exists:
(a) The records of the issuer show that the travelers check, money order or similar written instrument was purchased in this state.
(b) The issuer has its principal place of business in this state and the records of the issuer do not show the state in which the travelers check, money order or similar written instrument was purchased.
(c) The issuer has its principal place of business in this state, the records of the issuer show the state in which the travelers check, money order or similar written instrument was purchased and the laws of the state of purchase do not provide for the escheat or custodial taking of the property or its escheat or unclaimed property law is not applicable to the property.
(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, sub. (4) applies to sums payable on travelers checks, money orders and similar written instruments presumed abandoned on or after February 1, 1965, except to the extent that those sums have been paid over to a state prior to January 1, 1974.
History: 1983 a. 408; 2005 a. 253.