KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — Tricksters are on the prowl to defraud families of Flight MH370 passengers under the guise of helping them seek compensation for the tragedy, a US aviation lawyer warned today.
Floyd Wisner, principal of Chicago based Wisner Law, said that emails purportedly from Malaysia Airlines (MAS) were being circulated to relatives and next-of-kin to fraudulently solicit “administrative charges” to purportedly release compensation payment.
“It is shameful that any person would attempt to take advantage of people in this state of vulnerability and I hope that law enforcement is investigating.
“This has been five weeks of hell for families, from misinformation, to confused information, to lawyers making improper claims and now scammers attempting to fleece them for money.”
The lawyer, whose firm touts itself as having represented passengers and families of almost every major air disaster for the past two decades, said no such fees were ever part of legitimate claims process.
Beijing-bound Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 with 239 people on board and remains missing despite an ongoing multinational search.
Families of each passenger stand to receive compensation of up to US$175,000 (RM573,475) as part of the Montreal Convention covering aviation matters.
Those seeking compensation beyond the amount provided for under the convention will need to sue the airlines and related parties to make their claims; they will also need to prove negligence on the part of the respondents.
Last month, Ribbeck Law, another Chicago law, firm filed a petition on behalf the family on an Indonesian passenger aboard MH370 in what was then expected to be the first of a deluge of legal action over the aviation tragedy.
Today, Wisner said his firm was in contact with families who were banding together on the subject.
“Compensation is on their minds because many have been dramatically impacted financially, physically and emotionally, but it must be negotiated compassionately with the best interests of the families as the only objective.”
