Authorities are sounding the alarm over a surge in mobile money transfer scams, with fifteen individuals appearing in court since February.

This concerning trend has prompted heightened vigilance and consumer awareness efforts across the country, as mobile wallets are fast becoming the preferred choice for digital financial services.

Police Chief of Crime, ACP Mesake Waqa, says the Fiji Police Force’s Cyber Crime Unit is working closely with the Online Safety Commission to create awareness about scams.

“Police and relevant stakeholders are doing all we can as far as education and awareness are concerned, noting the increased dependency on these modes of accessing financial services.”

According to Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission Chief Executive Joel Abraham, the increasing number of scams is causing a major breakdown of societal relationships.

The idea for us is that while on one front we are dealing with scams and trying to proactively avoid them, the ultimate way to avoid scams in Fiji is to have empowered consumers that ask questions to say if it is too good to be true, it probably is.

Abraham is urging Fijians to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities promptly to the relevant authorities.