THE central bank is prepared for risks that is associated with scams, said Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) deputy Governor Esala Masitabua.
He made the remark while responding to a question on how to help people overcome scams during a panel discussion held at the 2026 Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants (FICA) Annual Congress.
“Two points come to my mind, first one is preparing for the risks and that is something we encounter frequently at the Reserve Bank,” Mr Masitabua said.
“And I am talking about the risks that comes with scams.
“How easy it is – now we have deep fakes, and you have AI generated scams.
“So, the protection around that is something that is forefront for policy makers, for government in thinking how we can protect the people and I think that goes to education, financial literacy and something that we spend a lot of time and resources in.”
Reflecting on the second point, Mr Masitabua said the RBF was doing a lot outside its central bank conventional roles.
“So, as I have mentioned earlier, we have launched the financial hub and working with the Australian government, with New Zealand government, and with the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) trying to upskill people in terms of their transformation into the digital world, and that has been a lot of success.
“I think we pointed out that seeking help is so important – where we can get help from and there are always multilateral partners who are willing to help us – Australia and New Zealand.
“And the other key point we look at from the Reserve Bank similar to what our view is on central bank digital currencies is learning from those that are ahead of us.
“We do not have to be on the forefront, and I think that is a good way to approach things with scams and learning from others.”
