The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) has recently issued a warning regarding a scam involving fraudulent messages demanding payments for customs clearance fees. These deceptive communications falsely claim that goods will be held at the border unless the alleged payments are made, and they mimic the official “Planned Outage – VAT Monitoring System (VMS)” template used by FRCS.
One such message threatens recipients with the assertion that “Your parcel and package have reached our borders… you are to pay 300.00 Fiji dollars.” The FRCS has clarified that they do not employ such templates to request payments, emphasizing that these messages are easily discernible due to numerous spelling and grammatical errors, as well as incorrect contact details.
Alarmingly, some individuals have been tricked into making payments through e-wallet platforms. To guard against these scams, the FRCS has urged the public to carefully review any documents or payment requests for inaccuracies. They recommend verifying payment requests through official channels such as the FRCS contact number (1326 or 3243000) or email (info@frcs.org.fj) before taking any action.
FRCS has also encouraged anyone who receives suspicious payment demands to refrain from engaging with them and to report such incidents to either the FRCS or the Fiji Police Force.
This warning follows a series of alerts issued by various authorities, including the Anti-Scam Taskforce, regarding digital scams targeting Fijian individuals. These scams often exploit people’s desires for quick money or misleading job offers, highlighting the critical need for vigilance and awareness in a rapidly digitizing world.
The ongoing efforts to inform the public demonstrate a proactive approach towards combating scams. As citizens share knowledge and remain cautious, there is hope for a safer online environment in Fiji.
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