Reclaim lost assets for free discussion

[MSE Andrea]

This thread is specifically to discuss the content of the

Reclaim Lost Assets For Free Article .

To discuss or ask a question about the article: click reply

[Finishrich]

Great article, I hope some people manage to find some forgotten fortunes. ;D

[Nellie]

hubbie has being recieving letters from a firm in London called Premier Assest Research Ltd who keep telling him they have discovered an assest which they "understand may be due to you. It is held by Trustees pending your instructions and is valued at approx, £1700"

They want 20% plus VAT to recover the amount and enclose an agreement plus retainer form to sign.

Of course hubby has tried getting them to quote a smaller fee with no joy and they won't of course give us any clues.

We've tried his old pension fund and shares held but can't seem to establish what it is. Also checked his very old premium bonds but as they are registerd at his mums address we ruled that out.

Any ideas where to go now. Don't have old life policies and any shares we sold a part from certs held for current ones. Can't think of any closed bank accounts or savings.

At first we thought it might have been a share we lost out on like QXL or something but register doesn't bring anything up.

[deemy2004]

I would not class them as a scam, but they are probably charging you for something you could do yourself for free.

Now the investment that they have found 'may' exist or may not exist so your paying a fee to them to search for it.

Sounds like something off watchdog

be sceptical, be safe !

[cefynbach]

I just wanted to add that I was contacted by the Pensions Office when I reached 60 that an insurance company was trying to contact me and I not only recieved a full settlement on a pension from when we had our own business which I had completely forgotten about but also paid out on my late husbands pension as well. So sometimes it comes to you and you just have to give them conformation to get your money

[cattie]

If someone who had a breakdown thought they may possibly have invested in a unit trust, but have no memory of it, would there be anyway to find out if investments were in their name somewhere? To complicate the issue the person changed addresses so wouldn't even have any relevant correspondence sent to them.

Last year she had a bit of a shock when she discovered she had put £10,000 into a fixed term bond a couple of years previously & had no memory of ever doing this.

[ReportInvestor]

What do people think of Stephen Wynn's idea of giving everyone an identity number to go on each investment to help banks/insurers/govt. track down dormant account holders / investors / pension holders?

Comparative Tables - Stephen Wynn's site

Stacks of related info and issues on this IA link

If your partner dies, don't assume they have told you about all their investments. 60% of us keep some savings secret!

[cheerfulcat]

What do people think of Stephen Wynn's idea of giving everyone an identity number to go on each investment to help banks/insurers/govt. track down dormant account holders / investors / pension holders?

It's a frightening idea. It should be up to the individual to keep track of his or her investments, not the government or financial institutions.

[ReportInvestor]

I didn't think it would get past civil liberties concerns. And Gordon may secretly prefer us to lose our money so that he can get his paws on it later to give to "charities" that do government work.

I see that there is a renewed effort by the Mail on Sunday & Frank Field MP to use the money in dormant accounts to compensate the 85,000 victims of company pension scheme collapses.

[moneyandmountains]

Originally Posted by ReportInvestor

I didn't think it would get past civil liberties concerns.

I think that too much is made of protecting a civil liberty in name that we gave away a long time ago.

Think how much information a credit reference agency holds on a particular person. Then couple this with your National Insurance number and you will find that government and other bodies hold a large amount of information about your financial affairs.

The money laundering regulations / Inland Revenue regulations for opening accounts have increase the accessibility of this information.

I think it is more likely to increase civil liberty if you consolidate systems, as that way things can be regulated above aboard and in consistent manner c.f. money laundering regulations.

[EdInvestor]

I think it is more likely to increase civil liberty if you consolidate systems, as that way things can be regulated above aboard and in consistent manner

IMHO there's a lot to be said for this view. The current arrangement doesn't seem to protect people's privacy or liberty while allowing fraudsters and cheats to take advantage.

Arguably the worst of both worlds?

On the other hand, the nanny state shouldn't be encouraged IMHO as it causes a lot of problems in itself, as people think they don't have to take responsibility. It's hard to get a balance: arguably increased regulation in financial services for instance was heavily overdue at the millenium.In that area, people thought there was proper regulation and protection, but there actually wasn't.That truly was the worst of both worlds and many people lost their pensions as a result.

But whether or not we need the increasingly onerous schemes dreamt up by the likes of councils and the ODPM on housing issues particularly is a moot point.There has been a substantial increase in regulation over the past 20 years, and some of it looks to be verging on the excessive, turning into job creation schemes for bureaucrats and others and imposing unnecessary rigidities and costs.

[webwiz]

Why can't the Banks & Builiding Societies simply publish on a web site the names and last known address (approximate to protect privacy, although it is at least 3 years since the person lived there) of the holders of accounts that they are treating as "lost". If someone has forgotten an account they probably don't know that they have forgotten it. Also if a parent has died they may not know that the account ever existed. Then everyone could just check to see if they or their dead parents were listed. Simple.

[ange_g]

With regards to reclaiming lost assets it says in the article on the website not to pay anyone to do it, however I am trying to look for two life insurance policies I took out for my children many years ago, but the website to do this search will charge me £18, is there anyone out there that will do it free? :confused

[JackieO]

I'm not at all sure if this is the right place ,but I have a small amount of cash due to come to me shortly from a distant relative who died intestate, and on Wednesday I have to go to a Commisioner of Oaths to swear an Oath .What happens after I have done this and anyone have any idea how long i will have to wait before i get paid out.It's not a great deal of cash about 9K but a tidy sum for a pensioner like myself .

[tophatwhitetieandtails]

am try ing to find out what happened to commercial union , had a endowment policy with them and have been trying to find out what happend to my policy . Took out a pension plan with Prudential they said they would get my endowment paid into my pension plan some years ago but it never happened and am trying to find my lost endowment, any ideas please.

[cambubbly]

Originally Posted by tophatwhitetieandtails

am try ing to find out what happened to commercial union , had a endowment policy with them and have been trying to find out what happend to my policy . Took out a pension plan with Prudential they said they would get my endowment paid into my pension plan some years ago but it never happened and am trying to find my lost endowment, any ideas please.

Commecial Union changed nameto CGNU and is now part of Aviva,which includes Norwich Union

[cambubbly]

Originally Posted by Nellie

hubbie has being recieving letters from a firm in London called Premier Assest Research Ltd who keep telling him they have discovered an assest which they "understand may be due to you. It is held by Trustees pending your instructions and is valued at approx, £1700"

They want 20% plus VAT to recover the amount and enclose an agreement plus retainer form to sign.

Of course hubby has tried getting them to quote a smaller fee with no joy and they won't of course give us any clues.

We've tried his old pension fund and shares held but can't seem to establish what it is. Also checked his very old premium bonds but as they are registerd at his mums address we ruled that out.

Any ideas where to go now. Don't have old life policies and any shares we sold a part from certs held for current ones. Can't think of any closed bank accounts or savings.

At first we thought it might have been a share we lost out on like QXL or something but register doesn't bring anything up.

This company is legitimate although their methods of no disclosure until you sign up puts many people off.The thing is- Itis NOT a case ofpaying themand then they find something for you.IT IS the case rhat they have already identified an unclaimed asset in your name but will not disclose it untilyou appoint them.

The wording of their letter would indicate that is INDEED a shareholding in a company that has been bought by another and your hubby is what is known as a dissenter. Check your old shareholdings- YOU WILL BE due something

[$am1965]

I have received a letter from a company called Trust Research Services,
(PLC 2158381) who say that they are contacting me on behalf of a major UK company who have unclaimed assets belonging to me from an investment I made at an old address.
When I logged on to the site and looked at the FAQ it says they do not deal with cases under £500, I am sure I would know if I had mislaid that amount of money.
They ask you if you require verification to contact
Cripps Harries Hall, in Tunbridge Wells (Tel: 00 44 (0)1892 515121,
Has anyone heard of either of these companies

[munster10]

I have just used this company to recover shares due to me from Marks& Spencer.

I checked their credentials on the website for marks & Spencer Group plc and they are genuine.

Altogether, I was very impressed with the service I received from them.

If you want tocheck themout-look at www.marksandspencer.comand goto the investor pages under lost shareholders

[spike274]

Apparently, on BBC news this morning there was a bit about how there’s £14bn sitting in bank accounts that people have forgotten about. The government has decided that this money needs to go back to its rightful owners and has made the banking authorities set up www.mylostaccount.org . THIS IS TOTALLY FREE!!!

This web site takes your address details and searches all the banks for accounts in your name. If it finds any accounts that are marked ‘lost’ or ‘dormant’ the bank will get in touch offering you the money back.