Five men have been charged by the Fiji Police MPaisa TaskForce for separate incidents of allegedly acquiring money through deception in Labasa, Ba, and Nadi.
The first suspect, a 32-year-old from Bulileka in Labasa, reportedly obtained $230 from a victim on March 15, 2024, by sending a Viber message that falsely appeared to be from a close friend. The accused had hacked into the friend’s Viber account and sent a message claiming urgent financial needs. Once the scam was discovered, the victim filed a report with the police.
In another case, a 26-year-old man from Siberia in Labasa allegedly obtained $80 on the same day by advertising goods for sale on Facebook. The victim sent the money but did not receive the promised goods.
Both of these individuals are set to appear at the Labasa Magistrates Court today.
Additionally, two men will face similar charges at the Ba Magistrates Court today. A 27-year-old from Rarawai, Ba is accused of scamming a victim out of $2,847 in December 2023 through an online investment scam. The victim clicked on a Facebook link indicating an investment opportunity and transferred money to accounts belonging to the accused. When the victim received no response, the incident was reported to the police.
The second individual in Ba, a 37-year-old from Tauvegavega, allegedly fraudulently obtained $170 from a victim on February 7, 2023, by falsely claiming to approve a taxi permit application, for which the victim sent the funds. When no further communication was received regarding the permit, the victim reported the case to the police.
In a fifth case, a 49-year-old man from Navo in Nadi is accused of obtaining $286 from a victim on March 23, 2021. The accused, along with an accomplice, promised the victim a job and requested payment. After receiving the money, the accused ceased all communication, prompting the victim to report the situation to the Labasa Police Station.
All five men have been charged with one count of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception.