I recently got informed about damage charges that I had forgotten to pay earlier. I tried to pay the amount but they have sent it to collections and it is lost. Am I able to pay that amount to charity instead in order to clear off my responsibility?
You must try everything possible to give back the rights of others on you to them. If you are completely unable to reach to them, you then should give their money or items to the poor believers on behalf of the real owners whom you could not reach to.
Wassalam.