Defrauded seafarer paid a scammer RUB120 000

The offender demanded this amount as a payment for handling documents required for the seafarer to be sent to sea. After the seafarer remitted the money, nobody ever contacted him.

A 28-year-old seafarer from Ivanovo region came across online recruitment advertisement  in Kaliningrad. He contacted an agent  and paid him the required amount. Then he arrived to the city and had been waiting for a week before realized he was the victim of a scammer. After that he went to the police.

Criminal Investigation Officers were able to identify the suspect. He was a 34-year-old resident of Kaliningrad, previously convicted of fraud.  A criminal case was initiated into the crime. The scammer  faces up to 5 years in prison.

The Seafarer’s  Union of Russia (SUR) regularly addresses the issue of employment fraud. In the sixth issue of the “Maritime Unions Herald”, we described in detail how to recognize the false-crewing. The SUR reminds  that the  Maritime Labor Convention 2006 sets  prohibition on charging fees or imposing other charges for seafarer recruitment, placement or employment on-board vessels except for the costs associated with obtaining a medical certificate, national seaman's book, passport or other personal travel documents. The expenses related to visas receiving  also fall on the shipowner. If you are asked for money for job placement assistance, you deal with scammers.