Equiniti - is this a legitimate letter?

Burridge60

Equiniti hold my EuroTunnel shareholding in their register. They sent me my statement which I got yesterday.

It is quite likely that post has been returned for someone that holds shares on their register and they are now trying to trace them as carefully as possible with data protection implications. They have to start somewhere or people will be posting about men in suits knocking on their door asking for someone that moved years ago! Hence the letter.

cakegeek

i've just received one of the letters. Is there anyone out there who did not respond within 28 days? Were there any consequences?

calleyw

My husband got a letter like that back last year.

His mother had died years ago and when sorting out the shares never found any paperwork for the company mentioned.

As my husband was the only one who kept his shares he was the only one who got the letter.

He contacted the company direct and with the exceutor of the will sorted it out. So no fees to be paid.

Yours

Calley

Jessicae_2

I'm a first time poster here so hope you don't mind me jumping in on the thread.
I've also received this letter, and checked all the things mentioned in the thread above as well as brainstorming with my family as to what it might refer to. Someone suggested I check that the company was registered with the FSA, which it is, so I called them for advice. They gave me the telephone number for the head office and suggested I check if the letter is genuine and if there was any information they could give me over the phone. The letter is from them, and the information they gave me has convinced me it is genuine and relates to some long forgotten shares.
I am going to send the information they have requested so will let you know how I get on!

[Deleted User]

Hi,

as I've said before, they will be having a 'spring clean' and searching for shareholders whose dividend cheques have either been returned or uncashed for years, so hope you are in for a wee surprise, maybe a 'big' surprise.

Stu1

My mother received the same outrageous letter, concerning my late father.

I have worked in the financial services, and I know a bit about compliance with this that and the next thing. I find it highly suspicious that when I called the 0871 number (at a cost of 8p per minute) that the message I got was basically just a repeat of what was in the letter and at the end of it, I was cut off. I suspect it's designed to generate some income for the company. I also find it very strange that they require so much personal information without telling you a single detail about the individual's case.

I have dealt with cases for deceased persons on many occasions, and this is the first time I've ever read correspondence and felt there is something not right. I definitely smell a rat with this one. In my experience, a sensitive letter would be sent out asking for someone to contact a named individual to discuss the case. And there is NO REASON this cannot happen in very general terms prior to submitting proof of identity.

I'm going to watch them... I've e-mailed them demanding further info about what they have on my father and I've told them in no uncertain terms how unhappy I am at the way my phone call was indirectly solicited by not revealing any useful information in the letter.

This is stinking!

lorrietravis

Hi
My Mum has just recieved the same letter. I tried ringing the company but just got two recorded messages wich were basically a repeat of what was in the letter and then I was ut off at the end! I have emailed them and asked them to let me know what company the shares relate to so that I can look into it. I am now waiting for a reply. I would be intrested to know if you have any further information on this company.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

re your phone call to the company, this is from the OP in post 1:

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.

Equiniti (click) is genuine, I've dealt with them for years.

What is maybe bugging some folk is that when Equiniti cannot find the shareholder and then passes the search on to another company, they then want a cut of the proceeds, maybe even 25%, and this is when the bad press stories begin.

So you are better dealing with Equiniti, as they will be the registrars to the relevant company.

Arthurian

Equiniti is a genuine company, but this letter sounds so suspicious perhaps it's a scammer using Equiniti's name, (worth worrying about,) or as mentioned in the above post just a dodgy company who have persuaded Equiniti to use them as some sort of subcontractor (not such a problem).

GustyGardenGalaxy

Yet the address on the letter matches Equiniti's address - if it was a scammer using Equiniti's name then surely the contact address given would differ? They even sent a pre-paid envelope to return the proof of ID.

I also verified Equiniti's telephone number and called them twice and it all seems legit.