Alerts

Warning: Letter misusing the name of Ospina Abogados

20 August 2024

A letter has been sent claiming to be from 'Juan Gonzalo Ospina' of 'Ospina Abogados' relating to an 'unclaimed permanent life insurance policy'.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been informed that a letter has been sent from an individual claiming to be 'Juan Gonzalo Ospina, Principal Solicitor', at a firm called 'Ospina Abogados' with an office in London, UK.

The recipient was asked to 'consent to be in partnership' with Mr Ospina to claim the 'unclaimed permanent life insurance policy' of a former client and receive a share of the money in the policy. The letter also states that 'for privacy policy reasons, this business transaction should be kept private' and that the recipient should not contact 'Mr Ospina' via the office's public telephone lines.

The letter seen by the SRA gives the email address of juangonzalospina@europe.com, and the telephone numbers +34 672 949 936 and +44 750 243 8091 were provided. It also gives the address of a genuine firm of solicitors (see below).

The SRA does not authorise or regulate a solicitor called Juan Gonzalo Ospina nor does it authorise and regulate a firm of solicitors called Ospina Abogados.

Any business or transaction through any of the contact details above are not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises a genuine firm of solicitors who are based at Maddox House, 1 Maddox Street, London, W1S 2PZ, who have confirmed that they have no connection to the firm or letter referred to in the above alert.

What should I do?

When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.