"My bank owes my Girl Scout troop $306.".

In September 2002, I reserved Amtrak tickets for a train from Florida to Washington, D.C., for my Cadette troop, using a Marketplace Bank Visa. When we later postponed the trip, Amtrak agreed to refund the money--$306,73--to my Visa. Unfortunately, the credit card had just been canceled because Marketplace Bank had been sold to E(*)Trade Bank. Amtrak insisted it had returned the funds, so over the next five months, I regularly contacted the companies involved to recover the troop's hard-earned cash. I still don't have the money back--can you help?

GH called a spokesperson for CIBC National Bank in Toronto, the former owner of Marketplace Bank. Thanks to your great record keeping, CIBC was able to track down the refund in a matter of hours. A check for $306.73 is on the way.

CIBC apologizes and admits that when your Amtrak credit came in, it was processed but sat untouched in an electronic file.

TIP If your bank is sold or merges with another company, hang on to credit card slips, receipts, and account statements until all of your business has been settled. If the bank has closed for good, contact your state department of finance--unclaimed balances are forwarded to them for disbursement.

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By Blain Norton, Orlando, Florida and Bob Trebilcock