The Fiji Police MPaisa task force has charged a woman in her late 50s for allegedly defrauding a victim of $2,500 in an online scam.
The incident reportedly took place on April 16, 2022.
Authorities say the accused, who resides in Lami, was involved in a scheme that exploited the victim’s trust through online communication. The victim, believing she was in contact with someone overseas, was persuaded to send money with the promise of receiving a gift.
According to police investigations, the victim transferred the sum to an individual who forwarded the money to the accused. It has also come to light that this intermediary may have been a victim of the same scam.
After realising she had been deceived, the victim tried to contact the person she had been chatting with online, but received no response.
The accused has been charged with one count of obtaining financial advantage and is scheduled to appear at the Suva Magistrates Court today. Police have urged the public to exercise caution when engaging in online transactions and to verify the identity of individuals before sending money.
