Today, the Fiji Police MPaisa Task Force is set to present four individuals—two men and two women—at the Labasa Magistrates Court, facing charges of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception.
In the first case, two men, aged 27 and 45, are accused of collaborating to defraud a victim of $790 on August 18, 2023. They allegedly hacked the Viber account of the victim’s friend, leading the victim to unwittingly send the funds for supposed urgent needs. The younger accused accepted the money, distributing $310 to the first accused while retaining $480 for himself. The scam was revealed when the victim contacted his friend, who denied ever requesting money.
The second case involves a 29-year-old woman, who is accused of deceitfully taking $548 from a victim on March 1, 2023. The victim was unaware of how the transfer occurred without her approval and promptly reported the incident to the Nakasi Police Station upon realizing what had happened.
Additionally, a third incident involved a 43-year-old woman who allegedly exploited the victim’s trust by asking for personal information and a One Time Pin (OTP) in exchange for an investment opportunity on December 23. The accused is said to have taken $40 from the victim using the information provided.
Each of the four defendants is charged with Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception. The Fiji Police Force has reiterated its warning to the public to avoid sharing personal information, passwords, or PINs in response to unsolicited requests received through messaging or calls.