2 to front court for mpaisa scam

The Fiji Police Force MPaisa Task Force have charged another two people for allegedly dishonestly obtaining money through the mobile money transfer service.

The first accused, a 28-year-old man residing in Lautoka, is alleged to have on three (3) occasions during the month of November 2023, dishonestly obtained cash amounting to $1,100 from members of the public through the MPaisa platform.

It is alleged that he had been posting advertisements for a house up for rent using a fake Facebook account for which he received bond on three (3) different occasions.

When contacted on the phone number provided, his phone was switched off. He was arrested and charged with three (3) counts of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception and will be produced at the Lautoka Magistrates Court today.

In the second case, a 27-year-old man will be produced at the Labasa Magistrates Court today charged with allegedly dishonestly obtaining $230 from a victim.

The accused had allegedly created a Viber account pretending to be one of the victim’s friends, asking for money, informing him that he was in police custody. The victim after sending the $230 via the MPaisa platform then realized that it was a different person and not his friend, and reported the matter to Police.

He has been charged with one count of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception and will be produced at the Labasa Magistrates Court today.

The FPF MPaisa Task Force are actively investigating reports received from all divisions, and to date a number of people have been charged and produced in Court for allegedly dishonestly obtaining money via the MPaisa platform.