Equiniti - is this a legitimate letter?

GustyGardenGalaxy

My mother has just received a letter from Equiniti - it's correctly addressed and has her name on it. However, I'm suspicious, especially regarding the part that says:


"If we receive no response within 28 days of mailing, EFSL may instruct a professional agent to locate and make contact with the individual, who may incur a fee for being reunited with their investment but they should be assured that the fee is not payable in advance."




My father died a few years ago and did have some shares, but nevertheless, I'm suspicious about this, especially as this is the first time my mother has heard from Equiniti.

The full letter is as follows:


Dear Occupier

RE: MRS XXX XXXXXXXX

Equiniti Financial Services Limited ("EFSL") is seeking to re-establish contact with the individual named above for whom we are currently holding an investment.

If you are the individual named above, it is important that you make contact with EFSL in writing within 28 days of this letter providing proof of identity and address in the form of a recent utility bill, dated within the last 3 months, which must be either an original or a copy certified by your bank or solicitor. Documents will be returned once we have confirmed your identity but there may be a delay so please do not send in your passport or driving licence. When returning documents please use the enclosed envelope quoting the above reference number, upon receipt of your correspondence, EFSL will provide further details in relation to this enquiry.

If you are not the individual named above and you are able to do so, we would be grateful if you would pass this correspondence on to the individual named above so that they may contact us or provided us with a forwarding address so that we may make contact.

Please note that should you choose to telephone or email EFSL, we will be unable to provide any further information regarding the investment until the appropriate proof of identity documentation has been provided.

If we receive no response within 28 days of mailing, EFSL may instruct a professional agent to locate and make contact with the individual, who may incur a fee for being reunited with their investment but they should be assured that the fee is not payable in advance

Yours faithfully

Sam Halford

Equiniti Financial Services Limited



(note: all of the above grammar errors are in the original letter!).


Any thoughts please?

Fenella

Why don't you contact them by phone and ask if the letter is genuine?

MrsManda

You shouldn't have to pay for being reunited with lost investments/accounts. You can use free services to find these for you.
Have a look at the links below:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/reclaim-lost-assets-free#pensions

http://www.mylostaccount.org.uk/

Has your mum ever bought shares/investments? The letter is suggesting the accounts are hers not your fathers.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Ah, I missed out a bit from the letter - it goes before the last paragraph:

"Please note that should you choose to telephone or email EFSL, we will be unable to provide any further information regarding the investment until the appropriate proof of identity documentation has been provided."


So I guess that even if I call they may not even be able to confirm that the letter is valid?

MrsManda

GustyGardenGalaxy wrote: »

Ah, I missed out a bit from the letter - it goes before the last paragraph:
"Please note that should you choose to telephone or email EFSL, we will be unable to provide any further information regarding the investment until the appropriate proof of identity documentation has been provided."
So I guess that even if I call they may not even be able to confirm that the letter is valid?

I'd phone them anyway - they should at least know if these are the kind of letter they send out even if they won't go into the specifics.
If it's not genuine then that paragraph is a good way of stopping people checking.

Contact details can be found here
http://www.shareview.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx

mike88

Why not turn up at their office with your identity but do not let them keep it. You could also speak to the local authority trading standards department (or whatever they are now called) to establish whether there are any judgements against them. There is some stuff about them on the internet including a complaints report which seems reasonably OK. But whatever you decide do not be swayed by their threat of billing you for professional fees; they cannot do that for services you have not requested.

Also check that the telephone numbers and addresses on the letterhead coincide with those on the website to ensure the company is not operating under another company's identity.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Thanks, now phoned them and they have confirmed that it's legit.

Guess i should have done that in the first place, but thought it sensible to ask here first.

fozzeh

I personally did this (for a different company) last year and re-united £13,000 among 19 people...was very pleasing.

Good to see Equiniti actually getting something right for a change!

Arthurian

I know this is beside the point, but what a brusque letter from Equiniti. "If you are the individual named above, it is important that you make contact with EFSL in writing within 28 days of this letter providing proof of identity and address in the form of a recent utility bill, dated within the last 3 months, which must be either an original or a copy certified by your bank or solicitor." Wouldn't it have been better to ask nicely instead of sending orders?

I'd try researching for yourself, first, through mylostaccount, etc.

GustyGardenGalaxy

Yes, the letter IS pretty poor.

However, it all seems very legit, just from phoning them and speaking to others here.

Hungerdunger

There's an article about another company which appears to offer a similar service on tomorrow's (Saturday) Moneybox on Radio 4. See here for more details.