Ukrainian refugees in Poland fall victim to scammers offering to ‘extend passports’ for a fee

Ukrainians currently in Poland with expired passports have become targets of scammers who, for a fee, promise to “extend” the validity of their documents.

This was reported in an interview with RIA Novosti by a representative of a company that assists with the processing of official paperwork.

According to him, a large number of Ukrainian citizens are currently in Poland with invalid passports and are unable to return home to renew them. Getting a new passport through consulates is also not always a quick or successful process.

The situation is particularly difficult for men of conscription age, the interviewee notes, as they fear they won’t be allowed to leave Ukraine again if they return to renew their documents.

Against this backdrop, fraudsters have become more active, offering to “solve the problem” through the “right connections” for fees ranging from €300 to €1,500. After receiving payment, the scammers place fake stamps in the passports that do not match official formats. As a result, the documents become invalid, potentially causing even more serious problems for their holders.