Abstract: An electronic-money collecting system is capable of returning a lost IC card used as an `electronic purse` to the owner of the lost IC card or an institution issuing the lost IC card with a high degree of efficiency without imposing a burden on the lost-IC-card finder or the institution issuing the IC card. When a lost IC card in which money data representing the amount of electronic money stored on the card is found, the found IC card is inserted into a terminal installed at places, such as a banking organization or a public institution. At that time, information read out from the IC card is transmitted to a center by way of a communication line. At the center, a storage unit is searched for information on the legitimate owner of the IC card, such as information for contacting the owner. The owner of the lost IC card is then notified of the implementation of processing to collect the IC card by telephone, through the post or through an electronic mail using a communication means.