Britain helping protect MH17 victims against fraud

By: 10 years ago

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond faces the media during his briefing at the Foreign Office in central London, on the Malaysian airlines crash over Eastern Ukraine, and new developments in Gaza, Thursday, July 17, 2014. Authorities in Amsterdam confirmed the MH17 Malaysian Airlines flight traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, is believed to have been shot down over Ukraine earlier Thursday. AP Photo/Max Nash, PA

LONDON – Britain’s Foreign Office said Friday it was helping protect victims of the MH17 plane disaster against potential fraud after one man claimed his relative’s credit cards had been stolen from the crash site.

A Foreign Office spokesman told AFP they were “working with family members to protect victims from the possibility of financial and identity fraud.”

It is feared that the lack of a security cordon and the scattered placement of personal belongings of the 298 victims have increased the risk of theft.

Meanwhile, images of the deceased’s personal items, plus other information in the public domain about the victims, could be of potential use to fraudsters.

Cameron Dalziel, a 43-year-old helicopter rescue pilot from South Africa who was travelling on a British passport, had his cards taken, brother-in-law Shane Hattingh said.

“We’ve been told some of his cards were stolen,” he told The Sun newspaper.

“After all we’ve been through — to do this to the families is so cruel. It is leaving some struggling for money. This really is the final insult, it is disgusting.”

Dalziel’s wife Raine was trying to cancel her husband’s cards, but had trouble doing so because they are not in her own name and she does not have a death certificate because his body has not yet been identified, the tabloid said.

“The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to provide consular support to the families of the victims and are working with families to provide flights, accommodation and translation assistance to those wishing to travel to Kiev or Amsterdam,” the spokesman added.