The family of Staff Sergeant (res.) Alexander Pilin has been targeted by a social media scam that collected money under false pretenses after his death. Over the past week, fraudsters circulated a fake appeal asking for 50 shekels donations for his widow, Dasha, and their baby daughter, claiming the funds were needed to pay for the widow’s flight back to Israel.
The family said the campaign was entirely fictitious. According to the report, outside actors exploited the family’s fresh grief and tragedy to pocket the money for themselves. Despite the hoax, the posts were widely shared and led unsuspecting people to transfer thousands of shekels through the Bit payment app to accounts linked to the scam.
After the fraud came to light, a formal complaint was filed with the Northern District of the Israel Police. Investigators visited the family to take testimony and have opened an inquiry to identify the people behind the fake campaign and arrest them.
At the same time, police are assisting the family. A police officer who speaks their language has been assigned as a direct contact for any needed support, guidance, or help in the coming period.
