Scammers Are Targeting Families of Foreign Nationals Missing in Ukraine

Fraudsters have reached the families of foreign nationals who went missing while fighting in Russia's war.

In autumn 2025, Colombian national Christopher Marriaga, who was serving in the Russian army, went missing in Ukraine. After his family lost contact with him, they began searching for information.

During their search, Marriaga's family encountered scammers posing as representatives of Ukrainian government agencies, who sent the family a fake document claiming Christopher was being held as a prisoner of war in Ukraine.

The fraud was uncovered after Marriaga's relatives contacted Colombian authorities, who in turn reached out to Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs - at which point the deception was exposed.

This kind of fraud thrives precisely because Russian authorities do nothing to help families of missing servicemen. First, Russian recruiters find foreign nationals and lure them into the war through deception. Then, when those men go missing in human wave assaults, Russian authorities and military command leave their families completely alone - ignoring their appeals and providing no information whatsoever.

If you are searching for a relative who went missing while serving in the Russian Armed Forces, contact only verified official channels - Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters and the "I Want to Find" project at hochunaiti.com. Do not share personal or financial information with unverified contacts claiming to represent Ukrainian authorities.

Source: I Want to Find