Published : 29-01-2018
Activists have warned the families of the Palestinian and Syrian detainees in the Syrian regime prisons of being subjected to scam and blackmailing, carried out by intermediaries, including some lawyers who claim to know the whereabouts and fate of the detainees in the Syrian security branches, in exchange for money.
The activists added that a number of those who claim to know the fate of their relatives, have social media accounts, including the owner of the account named “Sayed Mohammed,” who is known to be a scammer and has blackmailed the families’ of the detainees telling them that he is a former detainee, then requests money for the exchange of information or services that could help the families to release their detained relatives.
According to the activists: “The families are subjected to systematic blackmailing and the exploitation of their feelings and fear regarding their detained family members who have been missing for years. They ask for very large sums of money in order to provide the locations of the sons to be able to release them later on. The numbers start from $2000 and could reach $20000 in some cases, based on the charges the detainee faces.”
Activists and released detainees called on the families to take care when providing information about their detained relatives on social media networks. It is preferable that no information is provided beyond the name, date of birth and date of detention.
The website noted the importance of checking the credibility of the information provided thoroughly, whether regarding the detainee or the conditions of his arrest and the related legal issues. It also warned the families to keep their profiles’ security limited to their friends only and not accepting any friend requests from people they do not know or trust, on their social media network accounts.
Activists have warned the families of the Palestinian and Syrian detainees in the Syrian regime prisons of being subjected to scam and blackmailing, carried out by intermediaries, including some lawyers who claim to know the whereabouts and fate of the detainees in the Syrian security branches, in exchange for money.
The activists added that a number of those who claim to know the fate of their relatives, have social media accounts, including the owner of the account named “Sayed Mohammed,” who is known to be a scammer and has blackmailed the families’ of the detainees telling them that he is a former detainee, then requests money for the exchange of information or services that could help the families to release their detained relatives.
According to the activists: “The families are subjected to systematic blackmailing and the exploitation of their feelings and fear regarding their detained family members who have been missing for years. They ask for very large sums of money in order to provide the locations of the sons to be able to release them later on. The numbers start from $2000 and could reach $20000 in some cases, based on the charges the detainee faces.”
Activists and released detainees called on the families to take care when providing information about their detained relatives on social media networks. It is preferable that no information is provided beyond the name, date of birth and date of detention.
The website noted the importance of checking the credibility of the information provided thoroughly, whether regarding the detainee or the conditions of his arrest and the related legal issues. It also warned the families to keep their profiles’ security limited to their friends only and not accepting any friend requests from people they do not know or trust, on their social media network accounts.
