The Consumer Council of Fiji has reported a woman has lost all the money in her bank account and had her Facebook account hijacked in a sophisticated scam involving a caller posing as a Fiji Police Force Cybercrime Unit officer.
The woman was told that her mobile number had been mistakenly flagged in a government database.
The caller, claiming to be from the Cybercrime Unit, insisted that she needed to provide her personal details to clear her name.
She complied, trusting the official-sounding voice. But moments later, things escalated.
The scammer called back shortly thereafter, falsely claiming her bank account had been blocked. Under the guise of “unblocking” it, he deceived her into surrendering her login credentials, which he then used to gain access and drain the account of all its funds.
Adding to the distress, the scammer also took over her personal Facebook account and began messaging her friends, asking them to send money via mobile wallet, under the false pretence that she was in trouble.
“It is truly frightening and concerning at the same time to see that scammers in Fiji have become so bold and fearless,” said Council CEO Seema Shandil.
“This woman’s experience is sadly becoming more common. Scammers are now using the names of trusted institutions like the Fiji Police Force to create panic and gain access to people’s most sensitive information.”
The Council emphasised that no genuine authority, including the Police Cybercrime Unit, will ever ask for banking credentials, passwords, or personal data over the phone.
“Official communications will never involve suspicious links or demands for confidential information. If someone calls asking for these things, hang up immediately,” Mrs Shandil warned.