Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2012/January 2013 | Page 138

Legal issues with Terence Willey & Company

The real dangers of
unsolicited post
While we all receive post that we do
not request it would appear that what
I would describe as misleading post is
on the increase.
Recently I was consulted by a lady
client in a residential home, for whom
I have acted as her sole Attorney for
many years, concerning mail addressed
to her at the residential home. The
first aspect that concerned me was how
this particular organisation had found
details of her permanent residential
home address.
Initially she telephoned me to
announce she had won a large sum
of money and needed some guidance
from me as to what she should do
next. She said she had already received
the cheque and that it was a large
amount. I arranged to see my client
and she presented me with a cheque
made payable to her for £25,000.00
but sadly she had not noticed that
there was no signature on it, but
replaced by the words ‘this is a
specimen’.
She also told me she was so
overwhelmed to receive the money she
had not bothered to read the ‘small
print’. Effectively this was an example
cheque of a prize that she could
possibly win. This appears to be a
"ploy" of many organisations to entice
individuals to enter into the next stage
of a competition by requesting a fee,
which in some cases can be as much
as £50 to progress their application,
having appeared to have successfully
progressed through the earlier stages
of a prize draw. In some cases I have
found that this mail is generated
outside the UK.
Often it is blatant deception and
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fraud. Over the years I have entered
into correspondence on behalf of
clients with the Trading Standards
Office and the Police concerning such
mail and it continues to remain my
personal concern that elderly and
vulnerable clients in particular are
becoming more regularly targeted.
Clearly legislation should now be
considered to ensure there is clarity
and transparency with such activity to
protect the elderly in particular.
At this festive time of the year when
there is a likelihood of increased
activity with this sort of mail, if you
are unsure about any correspondence
you receive, do not hesitate to take
separate advice either personally or

professionally from someone you can
trust.
Terence Willey (Member of Solicitors
for the Elderly).

Terence Willey & Company,
Lawyers and Commissioners for
Oaths (incorporating Malcolm
Daniells & Company and The
Bembridge Law Practice)
Terence Willey 01983 875859
Mark Willey 01983 611888
www.terencewilley.co.uk