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Contact the refund program named on your FTC check, claim form, or payment email. Verify the telephone number independently in the Federal Trade Commission’s official refund directory at ftc.gov/refunds. Tell the administrator whether the check was lost, stolen, expired, returned, or never received, and ask whether it can stop payment and issue a replacement.
An expired check may be reissued only if money remains in that case’s settlement fund. The FTC does not publish a universal automatic replacement rule for lost or stolen checks, so the case administrator must explain the available remedy. Do not pay a fee or provide a Social Security number, bank-account details, or other sensitive information to obtain a refund.
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Start with the case administrator, not a search engine result
FTC refunds are handled case by case. The check, claim form, or payment email normally identifies the refund program and provides a telephone number. Use that information to identify the case, then confirm the program and its contact details in the FTC’s directory at ftc.gov/refunds. The FTC’s general guidance is: “To discuss your claim or payment, call the number on the claim form, check, or email that you received from the FTC.”
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Independent verification matters because scammers impersonate government agencies and refund administrators. Do not rely solely on an unexpected caller’s number, a text message, or an email link. Open the FTC directory yourself, locate the matching case, and use the contact information shown there.
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Have these details ready
- Your name as it appears on the payment.
- The case or refund-program name.
- The check number, payment date, and amount, if available.
- Your current mailing address and any former address used for the payment.
- Whether the check is lost, stolen, expired, returned, damaged, or simply not received.
Ask the administrator to record the payment status, explain whether a stop-payment request is available, and tell you exactly what documents or written request are required. Keep a note of the date, representative’s name, instructions, and any reference number.
If the check is lost or stolen
Report the problem to the specific refund program as soon as you notice it. Ask two separate questions: whether the program can stop payment on the original check, and whether it can issue a replacement after confirming that the original has not been cashed. The FTC’s general FAQ does not promise one stop-payment procedure for every program, so do not assume that a replacement is automatic.
What the administrator may ask you to do
Some programs may require a written declaration, identity verification, or a waiting period before reissuing funds. Follow only instructions supplied by the administrator through the verified contact channel. If the representative says a form must be mailed or emailed, ask for the exact address and the information that must appear in your request.
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If you later find a check that was reported lost, do not deposit it until the administrator confirms that it remains valid. A stop-payment order or replacement may have made the original unusable. Ask how to destroy or return the old check.
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What is not established
The FTC describes an address-search and reissue process for checks that are returned or remain uncashed past their void date, but that description does not establish that every lost or stolen check is automatically replaced. The case administrator has to determine what happened to the payment and whether funds remain available.
If the check has expired
Look for the void date printed on the check. If that date has passed, contact the refund program anyway. The FTC’s published answer is conditional: “If there is still money available in the settlement fund, we may be able to reissue your payment.” That means an expired check is not necessarily forfeited, but a reissue cannot be promised before the administrator checks the case’s remaining balance and rules.
Do not mail an expired check to your bank
A bank may reject a stale or void check, and depositing it without confirming its status can create confusion if the payment has already been canceled. Tell the administrator the check’s expiration date and ask whether it should be returned, destroyed, or retained while a reissue is reviewed.
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A future distribution in the same enforcement matter is a separate case decision, not an automatic extension of an expired check. The FTC says recipients generally must have cashed a previous payment to qualify for an additional round. An uncashed or expired check therefore may affect eligibility for a later distribution; ask the administrator rather than assuming that another payment will arrive.
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If the payment was returned or you never received it
Tell the program whether the envelope was returned, whether you moved, or whether you never saw a delivery. The FTC says that when a check is returned or remains uncashed past its void date, it conducts an address search and reissues a check to an updated address when it finds one. This is a described process, not a guarantee that every missing payment will be reissued without your involvement.
Give the program a deliverable address
Provide your current mailing address exactly as required, including apartment or unit information. If the administrator asks for proof of an address change, submit only the documents and delivery method it specifies. Check that your name on the mailbox matches the addressee and consider using a secure mailing address if your circumstances make ordinary delivery unreliable.
Replacement timing and the PayPal exception
After the initial distribution, the FTC says check reissues are generally processed once a month. Monthly processing is a general schedule, not a promise that a replacement will arrive within a particular number of days. The program may need to verify the original payment, confirm that funds remain, obtain updated information, and complete a distribution cycle before mailing the new check.
If you originally received a PayPal payment and request a check instead, the FTC says the process takes at least 45 days from the initial payment date. The agency must wait for PayPal to return the payment before beginning check-reissue processing. That minimum applies to this payment-method change; it does not guarantee the delivery date of the eventual check.
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| Situation | What to ask for | Timing information |
|---|---|---|
| Lost or stolen check | Whether payment can be stopped and a replacement issued; what written statement or verification is required | Not set by one universal FTC rule; the program must provide its procedure |
| Expired check | Whether settlement funds remain and whether a reissue is authorized | Generally processed in a monthly reissue cycle after approval |
| Returned or uncashed check | Whether an address search has occurred and how to submit a current address | The FTC may search and reissue when it finds an updated address |
| PayPal payment changed to a check | Whether the PayPal payment has been returned and the check request accepted | At least 45 days from the initial payment date before check-reissue processing begins |
Changing a name or correcting payment information
Contact the program before sending documents if your legal name changed, the check contains a spelling error, or the recipient has died. The FTC instructs people in these situations to submit a written request by mail or email after calling the program for instructions. The administrator can tell you whether it needs a marriage certificate, court order, death certificate, executor information, or another document.
Do not send original identity documents unless the program specifically requires them and explains how they will be protected or returned. Use the exact mailing or email address supplied through the verified program contact.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to recognize a refund scam
A legitimate FTC refund payment or claim form identifies the enforcement case and can be checked against the listing at ftc.gov/refunds. The FTC says it never requires an upfront fee or sensitive financial information such as a Social Security number or bank-account information to issue a refund.
Warning signs
- Someone demands a processing, insurance, tax, delivery, or “release” fee before sending your refund.
- A caller asks for your full Social Security number, online-banking password, debit-card PIN, or complete bank-account credentials.
- A message pressures you to act immediately or threatens to cancel a payment if you hang up.
- The contact supplies a phone number and tells you not to use the FTC directory.
- The supposed payment does not identify a case that appears in the official refund listing.
End the conversation, do not click unfamiliar links, and independently look up the program at the FTC directory. If you already shared financial information or sent money, contact your bank or payment provider promptly and report the suspected fraud to the appropriate authorities.
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A practical call script
You can keep the conversation focused with a short statement:
“I am calling about the [case name] refund. My check dated [date] for [amount] was [lost, stolen, expired, returned, or not received]. Please tell me whether the original payment was cashed, whether a stop payment is possible, whether a replacement can be issued, what documents you need, and when the next reissue cycle is expected.”
Before ending the call, repeat the mailing address the representative has on file, ask how you will be notified, and write down the expected next step. If the answer is conditional on remaining settlement funds, record that condition rather than treating the payment as guaranteed.
Keep realistic expectations about the money available
Program-wide figures do not predict your replacement amount. In 2024, FTC staff sent first-round payments in 33 cases totaling nearly $315 million and sent additional payments in 22 cases totaling more than $10 million. The agency also closed refund programs for 25 cases that returned more than $148 million; the average returned was $127.58 per person and the average spent was $5.79 per person. Those are aggregate program statistics, not estimates of an individual’s eligibility, check value, or likelihood of reissue.
Whether an expired or replacement check can be paid depends on the specific settlement fund and the administrator’s records. A case may have distributed all available money, reserved funds for unresolved claims, or closed its program. Only the verified program contact can apply those facts to your payment.
Checklist before you finish the request
- Locate the case name and payment details on the check, claim form, or email.
- Verify the program and telephone number at ftc.gov/refunds.
- Describe the payment status precisely: lost, stolen, expired, returned, damaged, or not received.
- Ask whether the original was cashed, whether a stop payment is available, and whether funds remain.
- Provide a current address and complete any written request exactly as instructed.
- Record the call date, representative, reference number, documents sent, and stated processing cycle.
- Reject any demand for an upfront fee or unnecessary sensitive financial information.
When to follow up
Follow up if the administrator’s stated reissue cycle passes without an update, if mail is returned again, or if your address or legal name changes while the request is pending. Use the same verified contact details and refer to your case or reference number. Avoid submitting duplicate claims through unofficial websites; duplicate submissions can delay a review or expose your information.
The essential distinction is the payment status. An expired check may be reissued only when settlement money remains; a lost or stolen check requires the case administrator to explain its stop-payment and replacement process; and a returned or uncashed check may trigger an FTC address search. In every situation, verify the program through the FTC’s official directory and never pay to receive a refund.
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