Scammers are exploiting romantic relationships to defraud older and retired women, with nearly ten cases currently in court, according to Reshmi Dass, Acting Director of Economic Crime. Speaking at the National Scam Awareness Week event at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Dass highlighted a troubling case where a woman lost approximately $500,000 in a romance scam. The perpetrators targeted women aged between 60 and 70, convincing them to share nude photographs, which were then used to threaten exposure on social media if the victims did not send money.
The situation poses not only financial ramifications but also significant impacts on the victims’ dignity, reputation, and emotional well-being. The scammers typically pose as younger men based abroad, and one victim discovered that her scammer was actually a local individual after reporting the case to the authorities.
In addition to the romance scam issue, the Methodist Church in Fiji has yet to determine its stance on its relationship with a partner church that endorses LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage. A church community from Nevada has formally requested the Methodist Church in Fiji to sever ties with the United Methodist Church, though officials acknowledge the complexity of the situation.
On the business front, revelations have emerged regarding the political motivations behind Germany’s ban on kava, according to Dr. Mathias Schmidt, a German kava scientist. He called upon Fiji and other Pacific nations that produce kava to seek the support of Germany’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the European Union, stressing that the ban is not based on scientific grounds but rather political considerations.
These stories underscore the pressing need for vigilance against scams targeting vulnerable populations and the importance of understanding the political landscape surrounding agricultural exports like kava.