What If Someone Sends You An Email With.....?

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

If someone sends you an email and it is addressed to you, are you obligated not to disclose the information in a public formum?

Walt


CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email transmission, including any attached files, may contain confidential information and is intended only for use by the individual(s) to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy the original transmission and attachments without reading or saving in any manner. Thank you.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Yes, if it has a confidentiality statement like that, you are not supposed to forward or share the information or post it publicly. I have several corporate clients that put that exact statement at the bottom of ALL outgoing e-mails.

[Captron Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Captron]

Those blanket statements are what make me look at the information and if it is confidential in any manner.

A joke being forwarded with the disclaimer and already in 5000 peoples email boxes I don't worry about, confidential financial or personal info is another matter.

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

I would't pass the info on if for no other reason than I simply don't care about it to begin with.

BUT am I morally obligated to hold secret info I neither asked for nor wanted? If it was so secret maybe they should have been a bit more careful on who they sent it to!

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

If it has that statement, then they are politely requesting you to not divulge.

Obligation? I don't think so - there is no contract because the required elements to constitute a contract are not there.

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

Even If The Emails are Intimidating, Threatening, and Vulgar?

Walt

Yes, if it has a confidentiality statement like that, you are not supposed to forward or share the information or post it publicly. I have several corporate clients that put that exact statement at the bottom of ALL outgoing e-mails.

[bevvy5 Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bevvy5]

Strictly prohibited by who? The Email Police?

Personally, that bit of rhetoric in an email would have no effect on whether I would or would not use an email sent to me in error.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Read the confidentiality statement again. It says you cannot disseminate only if you are not the intended recipient.

Although it says the information is intended for the recipient only, it does not say you cannot disseminate it if you are the intended recipient.

The warning is standard and it appears it needs to be reworded, to make it clear that no recipient should disseminate it.

I have forwarded three or four with such a warning just this morning, in the matter of my Dads estate, to keep another beneficiary apprised.

[dale7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dale7]

If it is at the bottom of the page how do you not read it if your like me and you start from the top of the page.

[gophish Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close gophish]

I think that the bottom line on this is that the confidentiality statement on the bottom of an email, especially an unsolicited email is a request and you have to decide wether you feel an obligation to comply with that request or not.

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

Thanks!

You are right. It does need to be reworkded to make it clear. Since it was intended for me I guess I'm able to post the email if I want to do so.

Walt

Read the confidentiality statement again. It says you cannot disseminate only if you are not the intended recipient.

Although it says the information is intended for the recipient only, it does not say you cannot disseminate it if you are the intended recipient.

The warning is standard and it appears it needs to be reworded, to make it clear that no recipient should disseminate it.

I have forwarded three or four with such a warning just this morning, in the matter of my Dads estate, to keep another beneficiary apprised.

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

My opinion is that I can do whatever I like with it. You sent it to me, it's now my property. I would have no problem posting it online.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

Intimidating? Threatening? Vulgar?....if someone sent me such emails, no matter what "confidentiality notice" was attached to it, I would not hesitate to do what I felt I had to do about the email. I sure hope that you are not getting such emails.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Intimidating, threatening and/or vulgar emails should first be reported to the email provider from which they were sent, then depending on the severity, perhaps the police. You will be surprised how quickly they stop when reporting them occurs.

[fendervo4 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fendervo4]

That statement has no legal standing, it is just a bluff. You have not signed a confidentiality statement, you are free to do with it as you please. But do keep in mind that anyone can sue anyone for anything they get the urge to sue over. PS here is my disclaimer, I am not a lawyer and can't be sued for any legal advise that I give out free, if I was charging then it would be a different deal.