Fiji Loses Over $1.3 Million to Scams Since 2017, Most Cases Under Investigation

Fiji has lost more than $1.3 million to scam-related offenses since 2017, with the majority of cases still under investigation, according to Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu.

Tudravu revealed that 1,672 scam cases have been reported across 21 police stations nationwide over the past seven years. Of these, 338 have reached the prosecution stage, while 1,334 remain under active investigation. The Western Division reported the highest number of scam cases, with pending investigations there alone exceeding $500,000.

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The reason these criminals succeed is not because our laws are weak or because our banks are failing. Scammers exploit human psychology. They weaponise hope, urgency and vulnerability.

Despite the high number of reports, only 11 cases have resulted in convictions in the last seven years. Some cases were dismissed after victims failed to appear in court. To combat these crimes, the Fiji Police Force has created a dedicated Scams Section with specialist investigators skilled in digital and forensic expertise to target cyber-enabled criminal syndicates.

Tudravu warned that scammers are increasingly exploiting human psychology, such as hope, urgency, and vulnerability, rather than technological weaknesses. He highlighted a prevalent scam involving fake social media pages impersonating commercial banks to advertise low-interest loans. Victims are tricked into providing personal information and one-time passwords (OTPs) on fraudulent websites, allowing scammers to drain their accounts.

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No legitimate bank would ever ask customers to share their OTPs, passwords or PINs.