Got a private message from a business?

A business you deal with used Rookery to write to you privately. Their email doesn't carry the message itself, only a short note that they've written and a link to your page with them. This page is for you, the person who got it.

Why the message isn't in the email

Email stays in your inbox for years, and copies of it sit on servers you don't control. So when someone sends you something private, like account details, a diagnosis or a contract draft, it waits on your page with them instead, and the email only says it's there. They can take it back, and it stays there only until the date in the email.

Is it really from them?

You don't have to click the link to find out.

• Look at who it's from. The email comes from the business's own address, with the person's name and the business's: "Maya Okafor · Northwind Law". The subject is "A private message from Northwind Law".
• Ask them another way. Call the business on a number you already have, like the one on their website or an old invoice. Not a number from the email.
• Or reply to the email and ask. A reply by email isn't private, so don't put anything private in it.
• Not expecting anything from them? Don't click. Ask them first.

The real email never rushes you, and has no reference numbers or lock symbols. If one that looks like it does, treat it as fake and call the business.

What happens when you open it

1. The link opens your page with that business. At the top: the business's name and the address their email came from.
2. Click Email me a code. A 6-digit code arrives at the address the message was sent to, with a subject like "123456 is your code for Northwind Law". It works for 10 minutes.
3. Enter it and click Continue. The message is there, headed Private message from and the name of the person who wrote it, with anything else between you and them.

You don't need an account. We'll never ask for a password, your bank details or a payment. If a page that looks like this ever does, close it and call the business.

Answering

Write in the box under the message and click Send to and their name. It goes from the page, not by email, straight into their conversation with you. Tick Email me a note that I replied if you'd like a note in your inbox that you did. The note never includes what you wrote.

On a shared computer

Tick Using a shared or public computer? before you enter the code, and nothing is kept in that browser. When you're done, use Sign out at the top, or Clear this page at the bottom. The page also signs you out by itself after 10 minutes without doing anything.

If the link doesn't work

• It's expired or withdrawn. The message stayed there until a date the business chose, or they took it back. Ask them to send it again.
• It says the message is on your page now. Click Email me my page link. The link goes to the address the message was sent to, never on screen, so a forwarded email can't open your page.
• It doesn't open at all. Check you copied all of it, or reply to the email it came in.

What Rookery is

Rookery is the email service the business uses. We send their private messages and keep your page with them, and we only act for them: we don't sell what you write, show you ads or use it to train AI. Your page is between you and that business. If you have a question about a message, ask the business, since they wrote it and can see your replies. See our Privacy policy.