Two individuals have been charged by the Fiji Police M-Paisa Task Force in connection with two separate cases of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception through the mobile money transfer app.
In the first incident, a 42-year-old woman from Natabua, Lautoka, is accused of dishonestly obtaining $200 from a member of the public. According to police, the woman allegedly sent a fake text message to the victim indicating that he had received $200. She then called the victim, claiming the money was mistakenly sent to him and requested that it be sent back to her number. The victim complied but later discovered that no such transfer had occurred. The accused subsequently withdrew the $200 at a supermarket in Lautoka. She is scheduled to appear at the Lautoka Magistrates Court today.
The second case involves a 32-year-old man from Lautoka, who is alleged to have obtained $730 from a member of the public on February 13, 2024. Police report that the man claimed to be a supermarket employee selling goods and asked the victim to choose items for purchase, instructing the victim to send the money. The man failed to deliver the goods as promised. He has been charged with one count of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception and is also expected to appear in the Lautoka Magistrates Court today.