Today, the Fiji Police MPaisa Task Force is set to present four individuals, comprising two men and two women, to the Labasa Magistrates Court on charges related to Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception.
In the first incident, two males, aged 27 and 45, are alleged to have collaborated to defraud a victim of $790 by hacking into the victim’s friend’s Viber account on August 18, 2023. The victim, believing he was communicating with his friend, sent the requested amount for urgent needs, unaware that the two accused had taken control of the friend’s account. The younger accused received the money, distributing $310 to the older accused while keeping $480 for himself. The scam came to light when the victim reached out to his friend, only to learn that no request for funds had been made.
In a separate case, a 29-year-old woman is accused of fraudulently taking $548 from her victim on March 1, 2023. The victim was oblivious to how the funds were transferred without her agreement, and she promptly reported the unauthorized transfer to the Nakasi Police Station upon discovery.
Furthermore, in another incident, a 43-year-old woman is said to have convinced her victim to share personal information and a One-Time Pin in exchange for an investment opportunity on December 23. The accused is accused of taking $40 from the victim by using the provided OTP.
Each of the accused individuals faces a charge of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception. The Fiji Police Force is urging the public once again to refrain from sharing personal details, passwords, or PINs with anyone who requests such information over the phone or through messaging platforms.