Warning: scams, hoaxes and frauds involving MSF 

Please be aware there have been cases of individuals posing as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff in order to scam people out of money.

MSF has received reports of third parties attempting to fraudulently obtain money on our behalf via email, social networking websites or apps, or in person at public locations.

The following is a list of scams and hoaxes that have been brought to our attention (please note this list is not exhaustive):

• An individual or individuals carrying out what appears to be fraudulent collections of money in public locations, while pretending to represent MSF.
   
• People posing as MSF staff in emails asking for reimbursements for donations, sometimes naming actual MSF staff or senior management (including the International President) in their appeals in order to bring a sense of credibility.
   
• People posing as MSF staff requesting money to pay for individual medical procedures for fictitious patients.
   
• People posing as MSF staff who have been detained on their way home and asking for money to be transferred in order to secure their release from detention.
   
• People posing as MSF staff, or acting on behalf of MSF staff, on social networking websites or apps in order to lure unsuspecting members of the public to send funds to cover the travel costs of the alleged MSF staff member to return from a field mission.
   
• People posing as MSF human resources or recruitment staff asking people applying for a job with MSF for money or to pay a fee.

All MSF staff are instructed to call their home MSF office if they find themselves in an unfortunate situation like losing their passport or if they have trouble with a visa. We then provide all the support they need to get home.

MSF staff in the field will also have access to funds in an emergency situation and so have no need to request financial support from anyone, for either themselves or their patients.

MSF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

Unfortunately there is nothing we can do to stop scams such as these and others from happening. If you are unsure if you are the subject of a scam or fraud involving a supposed MSF staff member, please get in contact with your local or nearest MSF office, the details of which you can find above on this page. You can also get in touch with your country’s local consumer commission or fraud reporting office.