Litia Cava 
Anyone who registers a SIM card for someone else risks legal and financial consequences if it is used in a crime, warns Vodafone Head of eCommerce and Digital Financial Services Shalendra Prasad.
He states that sending money to strangers or using another person’s identity can put users at risk of scams.
Prasad stresses that Vodafone conducts regular audits, penetration tests, and software updates to protect users from cyber threats such as ransomware.
He adds that Vodafone cannot reverse mistaken transfers without recipient consent or a court order, so funds should only be sent to trusted individuals.
Director of the Criminal Investigations Department, SSP Loraini Seru, warns scammers are exploiting lost, stolen, or borrowed SIM cards to defraud the public.
She notes that many of these SIMs are not registered under the scammer’s name, making it difficult for authorities to trace fraud networks.
SSP Seru adds that scams are targeting urban and rural communities, including cases where residents were lured with fake gifts.
She also outlined the challenges police face with multiple numbers and rapid money transfers, which allow scammers to operate across local and international networks.
The Police Force is urging Fijians to exercise caution with mobile money.
They advise sending funds only to trusted recipients and verifying all transactions to prevent falling victim to scams.
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