Non-Disclosure Agreement - SCAM ?
Discussion
Not sure if this is some sort of scam or not ?
Bit of background.
My father, now in his eighties, has been share dealing, as a private individual, for about 20 years.
He invested in shares in COMPANY X and sold them 2 or 3 years ago.
Last week he had a phone call from someone at Ralston Consultancy Limited in New York stating that they, Ralston, were involved in putting together a deal to buy COMPANY X and they, Ralston, were contacting former share holders as they may be entitled to receive some benefit from this deal.
He has been asked to complete a Non-Disclosure Agreement, see below, with details of his previous holding in COMPANY X.
Neither of us are sure if this legitimate or not. Why would someone who is not a current share holder be entitled to anything from the deal to buy COMPANY X ?
Cut/Paste, with edits, of the Non-Disclosure Agreement :
Date: February 10, 2017
To: My DAD
Phone No.:
Mobile No.:
E-mail: From: Ms. Elizabeth Hunter/ Administration Department
CC: Mr. Mike Banner / Mergers & Acquisition Department
Phone No.: + 1 646 578 8528
Fax No.: + 1 646 514 8586
Email: info@ralstonltd.com
Website: www.ralstonltd.com
Number of Pages Sent including cover sheet: 2
Dear My DAD,
With reference to your recent conversation Mr. Mike Banner / Acquisition Department, we are attaching the standard Non-Disclosure Agreement, which confirms that you will not disclose confidential information about the acquisition of COMPANY X to other parties.
Please fill in the details such as the full name and number of shares you originally purchased.
If the name of the company shares has changed since you bought it, you can also list the new name.
Our Legal Department will clarify your holdings and if you are not fully sure as to how many shares you own or if the name of the company has changed, we will re-confirm your holdings on your behalf.
Please sign, date and return via fax or email at your earliest convenience.
Fax: + 1 646 514 8586 Email: info@ralstonltd.com
Sincerely yours,
___________________
Ms. Elizabeth Hunter
Administration Department
Enclosed: NDA
RALSTON CONSULTANCY LIMITED
Mailing Address: 581 W 59th St., New York, NY 10019, United States
Phone Number: 1 646 578 8528 | Fax Number: 1 646 514 8586
Email Address: info@ralstonltd.com
PORTFOLIO UPDATE
Name of Stock When
you purchased it
Current Name of Stock (If it has
changed since your purchase)
Approximate Date Bought & Price.
If known otherwise leave blank
Number of
Shares
CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM OF NON-DISCLOSURE
Between: Whom Ralston Consultancy Limited on behalf of a Private Client Buying
And My DAD: The Vendor Selling.
I/We, My DAD: agree not to reveal, disclose, discuss or in any way provide knowledge of, access to, or information of any and all details or facts pertinent to the transaction between the parties mentioned above to any third party. It is agreed, understood and acknowledged that all facts such as banking codes, Buyers or Vendors names, their telex, fax, or phone numbers shall be deemed pertinent and confidential and covered by such strictures as cover all the information herein contained and considered confidential to both parties, any and all Private Clients for Whom Ralston Consultancy Limited act as intermediaries. The permission of the Private Client buying must be granted in writing to Whom Ralston Consultancy Limited the intermediaries, before any information covered by this agreement shall be disclosed or made available to any external third party. This is binding and agreed to and invokes all Internationally accepted Non-Disclosure, Non-Circumvention Laws and regulations, mandates and other agreements pending or in force in any
jurisdiction. The intent of this agreement is recognized by both parties and is agreed to remain in force for the life of this agreement which is for six (6) months from date of signature.
Signature:
Address:
Business Number: Mobile Number:
Fax Number: Home Number:
Email: Best time to call:
Dated this __________________ Day of ____________________ in the year__________________
Bit of background.
My father, now in his eighties, has been share dealing, as a private individual, for about 20 years.
He invested in shares in COMPANY X and sold them 2 or 3 years ago.
Last week he had a phone call from someone at Ralston Consultancy Limited in New York stating that they, Ralston, were involved in putting together a deal to buy COMPANY X and they, Ralston, were contacting former share holders as they may be entitled to receive some benefit from this deal.
He has been asked to complete a Non-Disclosure Agreement, see below, with details of his previous holding in COMPANY X.
Neither of us are sure if this legitimate or not. Why would someone who is not a current share holder be entitled to anything from the deal to buy COMPANY X ?
Cut/Paste, with edits, of the Non-Disclosure Agreement :
Date: February 10, 2017
To: My DAD
Phone No.:
Mobile No.:
E-mail: From: Ms. Elizabeth Hunter/ Administration Department
CC: Mr. Mike Banner / Mergers & Acquisition Department
Phone No.: + 1 646 578 8528
Fax No.: + 1 646 514 8586
Email: info@ralstonltd.com
Website: www.ralstonltd.com
Number of Pages Sent including cover sheet: 2
Dear My DAD,
With reference to your recent conversation Mr. Mike Banner / Acquisition Department, we are attaching the standard Non-Disclosure Agreement, which confirms that you will not disclose confidential information about the acquisition of COMPANY X to other parties.
Please fill in the details such as the full name and number of shares you originally purchased.
If the name of the company shares has changed since you bought it, you can also list the new name.
Our Legal Department will clarify your holdings and if you are not fully sure as to how many shares you own or if the name of the company has changed, we will re-confirm your holdings on your behalf.
Please sign, date and return via fax or email at your earliest convenience.
Fax: + 1 646 514 8586 Email: info@ralstonltd.com
Sincerely yours,
___________________
Ms. Elizabeth Hunter
Administration Department
Enclosed: NDA
RALSTON CONSULTANCY LIMITED
Mailing Address: 581 W 59th St., New York, NY 10019, United States
Phone Number: 1 646 578 8528 | Fax Number: 1 646 514 8586
Email Address: info@ralstonltd.com
PORTFOLIO UPDATE
Name of Stock When
you purchased it
Current Name of Stock (If it has
changed since your purchase)
Approximate Date Bought & Price.
If known otherwise leave blank
Number of
Shares
CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM OF NON-DISCLOSURE
Between: Whom Ralston Consultancy Limited on behalf of a Private Client Buying
And My DAD: The Vendor Selling.
I/We, My DAD: agree not to reveal, disclose, discuss or in any way provide knowledge of, access to, or information of any and all details or facts pertinent to the transaction between the parties mentioned above to any third party. It is agreed, understood and acknowledged that all facts such as banking codes, Buyers or Vendors names, their telex, fax, or phone numbers shall be deemed pertinent and confidential and covered by such strictures as cover all the information herein contained and considered confidential to both parties, any and all Private Clients for Whom Ralston Consultancy Limited act as intermediaries. The permission of the Private Client buying must be granted in writing to Whom Ralston Consultancy Limited the intermediaries, before any information covered by this agreement shall be disclosed or made available to any external third party. This is binding and agreed to and invokes all Internationally accepted Non-Disclosure, Non-Circumvention Laws and regulations, mandates and other agreements pending or in force in any
jurisdiction. The intent of this agreement is recognized by both parties and is agreed to remain in force for the life of this agreement which is for six (6) months from date of signature.
Signature:
Address:
Business Number: Mobile Number:
Fax Number: Home Number:
Email: Best time to call:
Dated this __________________ Day of ____________________ in the year__________________
KJR said:
.... Ralston Consultancy Limited in New York...
Have you googled this name - I cannot see any results.... 
KJR said:
Why would someone who is not a current share holder be entitled to anything from the deal to buy COMPANY X ?
Well, unless they're some fancy type of share category - not normally known in this universe - as a "mere" shareholder who sold some time ago, I don't see it either.Sounds dodgier than a dodgy dodgem on Dodgers Day.......at first glance ...... any more info?
Utter balderdash. If he used to own shares but doesn't any more, then why would somebody who wants to buy the shares try to give the previous owner some more money?
The buyer will buy shares from whoever now owns them, and may well pay a premium. Any gain in value attributed to your dad's shares when he owned them was paid to him when he sold.
The buyer will buy shares from whoever now owns them, and may well pay a premium. Any gain in value attributed to your dad's shares when he owned them was paid to him when he sold.
Thanks for all the responses.
As I indicated we did think it was some sort of scam but were not sure how they planned to achieve it. TooLateForAName has provided one possible method "getting my dad to buy in on this deal".
I have told him to be wary of any future phone calls and if Ralston do call back he is to say he is not interested and hang up. I have also set up an email rule, in Outlook, to block any emails from @Ralston.com.
As I indicated we did think it was some sort of scam but were not sure how they planned to achieve it. TooLateForAName has provided one possible method "getting my dad to buy in on this deal".
I have told him to be wary of any future phone calls and if Ralston do call back he is to say he is not interested and hang up. I have also set up an email rule, in Outlook, to block any emails from @Ralston.com.
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