Fiji’s Consumer Council warns of online payment fraud, with fraudulent individuals impersonating others on Vodafone’s M-PAiSA platform.
One incident involved a person posing as Investment Fiji CEO Kamal Chetty, offering a $500 investment with a promised $1000 return in 48 hours. However, the victim never received the money and was asked to pay a $1000 withdrawal fee to access the funds.
The council has also obtained screenshots of a Viber group involving multiple individuals encouraging others to participate in this fraudulent scheme.
In another case brought to light by the council, a scammer was discovered using different aliases on the Viber app to impersonate hotel executives from various hotels and organisations across Fiji. The council was alerted to this when the manager of an apartment in Suva reported that one of their staff members fell victim to the scam, paying $800 to the impostor, believing they were interacting with the hotel’s general manager.
Seema Shandil CEO of Consumer Council is urging consumers to verify the identity and authenticity of individuals before engaging in financial transactions online.
“We urge consumers to be cautious and undertake thorough due diligence before making any payments. Please remain vigilant and cautious to safeguard your hard-earned money from these fraudulent impersonation schemes,” Shandil said.
For more information or to report fraudulent activities, consumers can reach out to the Consumer Council of Fiji through the national consumer helpline 155 or email complaints@consumersfiji.org.
