CAUTION! DECEPTION! FRAUDSTERS STEAL MONEY FROM RELATIVES OF PRISONERS OF WAR ON PRETEXT OF INCLUSION ON EXCHANGE LISTS

Comments and statements of the Ombudsman News

A new type of scam has emerged online. The victims of the perpetrators are relatives of servicemen of the People’s Militia of the DPR who were taken prisoner by Ukraine.

Unknown persons, posing as journalists from various media, enter into correspondence with relatives of captured fighters on social networks. People are offered help and advised to contact the “Military Commandant’s Office” chat-bot on Telegram.

When connected, the virtual interlocutor poses as a representative of the military commandant’s office of one of the regions of Ukraine. Applicants are asked for information about the wanted relative. In response, they send a photo of his/her passport, a video from open sources confirming the fact of captivity, and sample applications for inclusion on the exchange lists. Moreover, the application is written in the name of the head of the regional department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine indicating the specific date of the exchange. And in order for it to go into action and be transferred to the Ministry of Defence, the applicant must pay 5,000 rubbles.

What is it – another provocation of the Ukrainian special services or the greed of individuals – the competent authorities find out today.

In turn, the Human Rights Ombudsman in the DPR, Daria Morozova, urges citizens to be vigilant and strongly recommends avoiding contact with strangers on social networks, not transferring personal data and money to strangers.

The Ombudsman reminds that all communications about the exchange of prisoners of war are carried out exclusively at the level of official representatives. On the issue of inclusion on the exchange lists, you can contact the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation and the Human Rights Ombudsman in the DPR through official communication channels.