Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil

Consumers are being urged to be on high alert as the number of advanced fee fraud is on the rise in Fiji.

Since November 2019, the Financial Intelligence Unit has been investigating seven local bank accounts that were used in this scam, involving more than 70 deposit transactions totaling to around $158,000.

Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil says many women received fake ‘courier package alert messages’ from unknown courier company through social media networks or Instant Messaging applications such as Facebook, Messenger and Viber.

Shandil says numerous Fijians have fallen prey to this new type of scam losing thousands of dollars.

She says the alert advised the victims that a parcel addressed to them is pending delivery which required them to pay a fee for clearance.

She adds in most instances, victims deposited funds in order to obtain the parcel.

The Council is urging consumers to contact either the Council or the FIU to raise their concerns or seek further advice on this type of fraud.