A SEARCH has been launched for thousands of Scots who have failed to claim Premium Bond prizes worth more than £2.7 million, dating back more than 50 years.
National Savings and Investments (NS&I) revealed yesterday there are currently 60,514 unclaimed prizes across Scotland, totalling a staggering £2,702,725.
The highest unclaimed prize is £5,000, won by a male in Central Scotland in a draw from February 2009.
A woman in the north east is unaware she too is due £5,000 from a draw in December 1994 - despite having only £2 worth of bonds. Scotland's oldest unclaimed Premium Bond prize is £50, still waiting to be claimed after a draw in 1961.
NS&Iis now hunting for the winners. Jill Waters, NS&I's Assistant Director, Retail Experience, said: "It is likely that the winners of the unclaimed prizes are unaware or have forgotten that they have Premium Bonds.
"Prizes often become unclaimed as a result of people moving house, or forgetting that Bonds have been bought for them as a child, or executors are unaware the Bonds are held when someone dies."
Instead of interest payments, investors have the chance to win tax-free prizes. The bonds were launched by Harold Macmillan in 1956.
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