4 charged for scam

Four men have been charged by the Fiji Police MPaisa Task Force for alleged cases of obtaining financial advantage by deception.

In the first case, a 27-year-old man residing in Rarawai, Ba is alleged to have on the 1st day of December 2023, dishonestly obtained $783 that was sent to him from the victim’s MPaisa account.

The victim was surprised to receive a text message stating he had successfully sent the said amount.

The matter was reported, and an investigation conducted, and the accused has since been charged with one count of Obtaining Financial Advantage by deception, and will be produced at the Sigatoka Magistrates Court today.

In the second case, a 21-year-old man from Ba is alleged to have on the 6th day of November 2023, dishonestly obtained $466 from the victim who was not aware that the money was sent from his account.

The accused withdrew the money and used it to pay for his personal expenses.

He will be produced at the Sigatoka Magistrates Court today. In the Northern Division, two men will be produced for two separate cases of obtaining financial advantage by deception. A 21-year-old man residing in Namara is alleged to have on the 11th day of January 2024, hacked the victim’s Viber account and sent messages to the victim’s friends and family, asking for money. The accused allegedly received up to $230, which he withdrew for his personal use. He has been charged with one count of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception and will be produced at the Labasa Magistrates Court today.

Also in the Northern Division, a 20-year-old from Waiqele, has been charged with two counts of Obtaining Financial Advantage by Deception for separate cases.

In the first report, the accused is alleged to have on the 14th day of February 2024, deceived the victim by hacking her Viber account, and had sent a message to a friend asking for money, whereby he received $280.

The victim later came to know that her friend’s account was hacked and reported the matter. In the second report, the accused is alleged to have on the 20th of February 2024, asked the victim to send $230 to a number that belonged to him, under the pretext that it belonged to the victim’s uncle.

The victim felt suspicious and asked his uncle if he had received the money, whereby it was revealed that he had not. The accused will be produced at the Labasa Magistrates Court today.