HAMPTON, Va. — A Hampton woman has been embroiled in a decades-long fight to reclaim $1,855 in Postal Savings Certificates that her late father had purchased starting in 1947.
Despite numerous appeals and outreach efforts, Patricia Jones has hit roadblock after roadblock in her quest to recover the money.
She says she has been trying to get the money since November 1994.
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Jones' father, Nathaniel Greelee, had purchased 11 Postal Savings Certificates over the years, believing it was a "safe investment."
However, when the Postal Savings System ended in 1967, unclaimed deposits were turned over to the Treasury Department. The department attempted to notify people through the mail and media that the program was coming to an end and certificates needed to be cashed in.
Unfortunately, Jones said her father, who could not read, was never notified and was unaware of the program's termination.
"He put in his hard-earned money for the certificates. And then when it's time to cash them in, just be told that you can't cash them in, that was very disappointing," said Jones.
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After her father's death in 1998, Jones took over the fight to reclaim the funds. She has written to politicians, presidents, and media outlets like The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America, but to no avail.
The Virginia Treasurer's Office and the National Department of Treasury have both informed Jones that they are unable to assist her further, as the Postal Savings System Statute of Limitations Act went into effect in 1985, barring any claims after that date.
"You can't redeem $1,855? ... Something's wrong with that," Jones said.
Despite the repeated setbacks, Jones remains determined to continue her quest for justice.
"I say I will always fight for justice until the day I die because it's rightfully his, and nobody else should be able to claim what is rightfully yours," she stated.
