Scammers are exploiting romantic intentions to fraudulently obtain money from elderly women, particularly those who are retired. Reshmi Dass, Acting Director of Economic Crime, disclosed during the National Scam Awareness Week event at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva that there are nearly ten cases currently in court. She highlighted that one woman lost around $500,000 due to a deceptive romance scheme.
Dass explained that scammers charmed women aged between 60 and 70 into sending nude photographs, subsequently threatening to release these images on social media if they did not comply with monetary demands. “We have received complaints, and the victims are retired women who shared intimate images with their online contacts,” Ms. Dass stated. She emphasized that these perpetrators use intimidation tactics, claiming they would tarnish the victims’ reputations if funds were not provided.
She emphasized the prevalence of similar romance scam cases in court and described one specific perpetrator as a young man operating under the guise of being overseas while utilizing a WhatsApp number to connect with older women. This individual engaged in flirtatious conversations before defrauding his victims. One victim, who eventually recognized that she had been deceived by someone local, reported the misconduct after losing a significant amount of money.
Ms. Dass urged women to exercise caution when sharing personal information and photographs with unknown individuals on social media. “Please be cautious when disclosing your personal details online. If you receive a message from someone you don’t know, avoid sharing your personal information or photos that could lead to fraud,” she advised. Currently, there are approximately eight or nine cases against this scammer pending in court.