How did I become a member of the Aus Friendly Society without my knowledge?

I have never had anything whatsoever to do with that Society and yet today I got a letter in my mailbox advising me of a merger and inviting a proxy vote if unable to attend. I checked the sender details and it’s legit.
They consider me a member and have my correct full name and address.
I’ll contact them to ask a few questions, even if not very hopeful of getting satisfactory answers, usually this type of mistakes are shrouded in mystery.
Any similar experiences by anyone in the community?

5 Likes

If you have used a consultant’s services (brokers, advisors, accountant etc) in the past, it is possible that AFS took over the business used in the past. Often the value in many businesses is current clients and historical client records. Ownership of such information is transferred to the buyer as part of the sale contract. Hence, over many years and many takeovers/mergers, the data can become significant.

Alternatively, if you own shares, they may have used shareholder lists for a mail out. Unless I can read the correspondence, they may have ulterior motives for sending it.

This may be why you received correspondence from them.

I would contact them to find out if they sent the letter, what your relationship is with them (shareholder, stakeholder, former client etc). Depending on what they say, ask them to delist you and destroy your records.

I assume this is them…

https://australianfriendlysociety.com.au/

5 Likes

Thank you @phb, that’s very helpful.
It makes sense that they’ve got me from a mailing list from somewhere else, as I have never had any direct contact with them.
The letter only asks for my vote on the merger.

5 Likes

You (or somebody they confuse with you) owned their shares (or they think you did).

4 Likes

Have you had anything to do with Keyinvest? That is the other party in the merger?

4 Likes

@syncretic, @Gregr Never had shares, never had anything to do with
KeyInvest that they are proposing a merger with…also: this is the first communication I have ever received from AFS.

4 Likes

As they are a society, their constitution may say their members are the owners or stakeholders which have voting rights. Members may be those who have used a service or held an account with them or one of the merge entities. You may have been issued the merger voting letter if this is the case…you could be seen as a ‘shareholder’ or a voting ‘stakeholder’ in the business due to some loose historical connection.

Best to contact them using website contact details to see what the story is.

4 Likes

Yes, will do. BTW I was suspicious of a scam at first, but the contact details on the letter match their website’s. And they asked for nothing more that my vote, which I will ignore, I think :laughing:

4 Likes

Solved the mystery, has to do with prepaid funerals! My dealings were only with the funeral parlour, many years ago, when my father passed and I thought I would spare others the trouble of arranging for my funeral and so I prepaid for mine.
I know the funds are government guaranteed but at that time I didn’t register any dealings with the AFS (my bad).

Being a member might come as an advantage :thinking::laughing:

8 Likes