Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive, Shairana Ali

Fijians have been urged to be wary of two individuals who are pretending to be project representatives of Save the Children Fiji’s Digital Cash Transfer Project.

Save the Children says these two individuals have been taking advantage of the vulnerable communities in the Western division.

These people have been advising community members that they need to register with them in order to be eligible for the Digital Cash Transfer Project assistance and are charging a fee for this service.

Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive, Shairana Ali says there is no application or registration process to receive payments for the Digital Cash Transfer Project.

She says they are working with the government and other civil society partners who already have data available on vulnerable households and payments will only be made to households that meet their selection criteria.

She stresses that households do not need to give favors or pay money to anyone in order to receive cash assistance or to increase the possibility of receiving assistance.

She adds that there are no representatives of Save the Children Fiji or any other organizations who are registering people.

Ali says it is sad to know that there are individuals out there who are taking advantage of the current situation and misleading and trying to take advantage of vulnerable families.

The matter has been reported to police.