THE Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) says there are “a lot of red flags” surrounding Vodafone Fiji’s M-PAiSA auto-renew feature as it investigates complaints of money being deducted from customers’ e-wallets without clear notice.
FCCC said that while there is no specific law governing auto-renewals, it is examining provisions relating to “unconscionable conduct” under the FCCC Act.
“There have to be some standards,” FCCC chief executive officer Senikavika Jiuta said.
“There have to be disclosures. It has to be a reasonable time for the consumers to make that choice. And I see there are a lot of red flags with this issue.”
The commission said it is reviewing the matter and has advised customers who believe they were charged without their permission to lodge a formal complaint.
“For any consumer, the fact that your money is being deducted without your knowledge, it’s a breach of your privacy. You are not informed.
“The fact that you are touching other people’s e-wallets without the consent, to us that’s a concern.”
Ms Jiuta also raised concerns about transparency, saying “in the transaction history it’s not there as well”.
The complaints have reignited debate over automatic billing and consumer rights in Fiji, with numerous complaints continuing to surface on social media.
Henry Vesikula, 28, an M-PAiSA user from Nadi claimed he only got the text after the deduction.
“If we wanted to unsubscribe from the plan, we had to dial *181#, Option 3, Option 5, or go via the M-PAiSA App,” Mr Vesikula said.
“But banks don’t do that, and I don’t know why Vodafone is doing that.
“They have failed to consult customers with no explanation.
“It’s like them telling us indirectly, ‘If you want to unsubscribe, you can do it yourself, but if you don’t, we’ll do it on your behalf.’”
Vodafone Fiji defended the feature, saying it was introduced on June 10, 2026.
“The feature applies only to eligible self-subscribed plans and requires customer consent, including PIN authentication, at the time of purchase,” a Vodafone spokesperson said.
Vodafone said customers were notified of the renewal terms, they receive confirmation and reminder SMS messages, and they may disable the feature at any time by dialing *181#, Option 3, Option 5, or via the M-PAiSA App.
The company urged customers experiencing issues to call 123 or 124, visit a retail outlet, or contact its official social media team.
