A disturbing online scam has come to light after a Fijian woman discovered her photos and identity were being exploited by local men, to defraud men overseas, including members of the British military and professional rugby players.
According to a Facebook post, the woman has reported the fraudulent Facebook account, “Tita Kuini”, to the Online Safety Commission.
The account, which amassed 215 friends and 23 posts, allegedly used her images to establish long-term online relationships, convincing men to send hundreds of dollars.
In some cases, the scammers requested money in exchange for explicit photos, causing tension in marriages and personal relationships.
The scheme was uncovered when one victim’s wife reached out to her, believing she had been communicating with her husband.
“That’s when we realised this was a fake account set up by men misrepresenting themselves for money,” she said.
The woman urged vigilance, advising men to verify profiles and alert friends of suspicious activity. She also called on married men to remain faithful and be cautious about who they interact with online.
Online Safety Commissioner Filipe Batiwale said the Online Safety Commission is aware of reports involving individuals allegedly operating fake social media profiles using the identities and photos of young women to target Fijian men serving overseas, including those in the British Army.
“These cases generally fall within what is known as romance scams combined with sextortion or image-based abuse,” he said.
“Due to the sensitive nature of complaints received by the commission, all reports are handled under our strict complaints handling and confidentiality procedures.
“However, I can confirm that we have received reports of a similar nature.
“These schemes frequently target Fijians living or working overseas because offenders believe they may have greater financial capacity and victims may also feel reluctant to report the matter due to embarrassment or fear.”
Where serious criminal conduct is identified, the Online Safety Commission refers matters to the Fiji Police Force, particularly the CID Division and the Cybercrime Unit, for investigation and potential prosecution.
