The Fiji Police Force’s MPaisa Taskforce Team has apprehended a couple from Labasa, charging them with multiple offenses related to fraud and identity theft. The individuals, a 30-year-old businessman and his 27-year-old wife, were taken into custody after allegedly obtaining $730 from four victims through deceptive means on the MPaisa platform.
The offenses include four counts of unauthorized access, four counts of identity theft, and four counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception, along with one count concerning proceeds of crime. Preliminary investigations reveal that the couple engaged in a scheme between September 2023 and December 2024, where they contacted prominent individuals, tricking them into providing access to their Viber accounts.
Under the guise of a regular phone call, they claimed their number was mistakenly provided to a Japanese car dealer and further pretended to be police officers monitoring the victims’ communication. They exploited this ruse to solicit the Viber activation code, enabling them to access the accounts and subsequently request money from the victims’ contacts.
The police were alerted to the situation at the Totogo Police Station, and the couple is scheduled to appear before the Magistrates Court in Labasa today.
While the actions of this couple represent a serious breach of trust and legality, the quick response by the Fiji Police demonstrates their commitment to safeguarding the community from scams. These measures can also serve as a warning to the public about the importance of security and vigilance regarding personal information, especially in a digitally connected world.
In light of these events, it encourages individuals to remain informed and take proactive steps to protect their online accounts against potential threats.
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