Society

Fraudsters created a new scheme to deceive relatives of prisoners

Relatives of prisoners of war are warned about fraudsters who, under the guise of employees of international organizations, are cheating them out of money allegedly to “deliver parcels” to places of detention in Russia. This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, according to Komersant ukrainskyi.

The headquarters began to receive reports from relatives of Ukrainian defenders who are in captivity about people who call introducing themselves as employees of international humanitarian missions and charitable foundations. In the course of communication, the perpetrators report allegedly sending parcels to the prisoners of war from family members and offer to pay for this service.

The Coordination Center urged not to trust any financial offers related to “liberation” or “assistance”.

“Remember that the International Committee of the Red Cross, government agencies and official volunteer organizations do not require payment for the transfer of parcels, information or assistance. All services provided by the Coordination Center to the families of defenders are free of charge,” the headquarters emphasized.

If you have received offers from unknown persons to pay for the “delivery of a parcel” to a prisoner, you should contact the

• Coordination Center – 0 800 300 529;
• The Joint Center for the Search and Release of Prisoners of War at the SBU – 0 800 50 14 82;
• Cyberpolice – 0800 50 51 70.

As reported by [Kommersant] under the guise of help, fraudsters try to find out confidential information: personal data of military personnel (name, unit, rank, status), bank details, and ask to send photos of documents and other personal data.

Recommendations for citizens to protect themselves from fraudsters:

1. Check the sources of information. Always clarify who exactly is offering help. Use only official resources, such as websites of government agencies or trusted organizations that deal with the release of prisoners of war.
2. Protect your personal data. Do not share confidential information with strangers, avoid disclosing personal data on social media, even in private messages.
3. Be careful with suspicious offers. Beware of financial requests related to the release or search for missing persons. Government agencies and official volunteer organizations do not charge for information or assistance.
4. Contact law enforcement agencies. If you suspect fraud, contact the Cyberpolice at https://ticket.cyberpolice.gov.ua/.