Another internet scam

These days, with the need to earn extra money becoming increasingly urgent, "investment opportunities and quick rich schemes" are dangled before you, promising help you win against the economic crunch or the opportunity to get rich. Some of these offers are legitimate. Others, however, are no more than scams.

 So what is a scam? A scam is a trick to cheat you of your money, carried out by people who seem smart, charming, legitimate and/or knowledgeable but are actually looking for ways to take your money without your knowing it. If you want to make a lot of money from a small investment in a short amount of time, wishful thinking often takes over where common sense should step in. The more unaware and unsuspecting you are, the more attractive a target you are.

 Just for example yesterday, April 20, 2010 I received an email from “Northern Capital and Investment”. The email is said to be “conducting a standard process investigation on behalf of HSBC PRIVATE BANKING, the private banking arm of the international Banking conglomerate”. The email reads:

-----Original Message-----

From: Northern Capital and Investment [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 5:04 AM

To: Limtingco, Ed

Subject: Client Services Enquiry

“This is a confidential message from Northern Capital and Investment: Private Equity and financial Consultants. We are conducting a standard process investigation on behalf of HSBC PRIVATE BANKING, the private banking arm of the international Banking conglomerate. This investigation involves a client who shares the same surname with you and also the circumstances surrounding investments made by this client at HSBC Private. The client died in intestate and nominated no successor in title over the investments made with the bank. The essence of this communication with you is to request you provide us information/comments on any or all of the issues:

1-Are you aware of any relative/relation who shares your same name who’s last known contact address was Brussels Belgium?

2-Are you aware of any investment of considerable value made by such a person at the Private Banking Division of HSBC Bank PLC?

3-Can you establish beyond reasonable doubt your eligibility to assume status of successor in title to the deceased?

It is pertinent that you inform us ASAP whether or not you are familiar with this personality that we may put an end to this communication with you and our inquiries surrounding this personality.

You must appreciate that we are constrained from providing you with more detailed information at this point. Please respond to this mail as soon as possible to afford us the opportunity to close this investigation.

Thank you for accommodating our enquiry.

Daniel T Murphy

For: Northern Capital and Investment

Email: [email protected]

Obviously, this email has all the “tell-tale signs” of an internet scam.

For questions and inquiries, call or text 0917-7220521 or email at [email protected]