The Fiji Police MPaisa Task Force has charged two men and one woman in separate cases of allegedly obtaining financial advantage by deception via a mobile money transfer app.
In the first case, a 30-year-old woman from Nawaka was charged with obtaining $470 from a member of the public. It is alleged that on August 15, 2023, the victim received a Viber call from an unknown number claiming she had won some money. To claim her winnings, she was told to send $500. The victim transferred the $470 available in her mobile money transfer account to the specified number. When she attempted to contact the accused, there was no response. The matter was reported, and the woman was charged with one count of obtaining financial advantage by deception. She will appear at the Nadi Magistrates Court today.
In another case, two men aged 20 and 24 from Narere allegedly obtained $300 from a member of the public on May 19, 2024. The men had advertised car accessories for sale on Facebook. The victim sent the money but could not contact the accused persons afterward, prompting him to file a report. The two men were charged with obtaining financial advantage by deception and will appear at the Nasinu Magistrates Court today.
The same 20-year-old is also facing an additional charge for another incident where he allegedly obtained $250 from a member of the public. The accused had posted another advertisement for car accessories on Facebook and failed to deliver the goods after receiving the money transfer from the victim.