A 30-year-old man from Davuilevu Housing has been charged with obtaining financial advantage by deception and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime. This follows an investigation by the Fiji Police Force’s Cyber Crime team, which led to his arrest after he allegedly scammed a victim out of $260.
The incident occurred on March 30 of last year when the accused advertised rental cars on a Facebook page named ‘Fiji Rental Cars.’ The victim, believing the advertisement to be legitimate, transferred money via an online money transfer platform, expecting to receive rental services. However, after the payment was made, the accused reportedly failed to deliver the vehicle or any services, prompting the victim to report the incident to police at Lautoka Station.
The charged individual is currently in custody and is scheduled to appear in the Nasinu Magistrate Court today at 2:30 PM. This case is indicative of a broader issue with online scams in Fiji, particularly involving rental services, as similar incidents have been reported where victims lost money after responding to deceptive advertisements on social media platforms.
These developments highlight the growing concern over online fraud and the need for consumers to be cautious when engaging in digital transactions. The Fiji Police’s proactive approach in tackling such crimes is encouraging, signaling a commitment to protecting the public and addressing financial crimes that exploit individuals via digital platforms.
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