ONLINE businesses have been warned to remain vigilant against scams and deceptive schemes.
The warning was issued by permanent secretary for Trade, Co-operatives, MSMEs and Communications Shaheen Ali during his speech at the first offline meeting of the Fijian Digital Business Owners at the Southern Cross in Suva last month.
While acknowleding the growing momentum of Fiji’s digital MSMEs, Mr Ali warned that these opportunities also brought risks.
“As opportunity increases, so too do risks. We must be vigilant against scams, misinformation, and cyber threats,” Mr Ali said.
Additionally, he used examples of how Fijians are often targeted for fraud where he highlighted the significance of having digital literacy, personal responsibility and community awareness.
“Fijians are known for our warmth and trust but we must not let that trust be exploited.
“We have seen too many cases where people have been drawn into schemes that promised quick money, including easy gains and global networks, only to find themselves financially and emotionally defrauded,” he said.
Mr Ali encouraged online business owners to stay informed and alert when presented with too-good-to-be-true promises.
“I say this with all sincerity: be cautious. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s support for authentic digital businesses, noting government efforts to create an enabling and secure environment.
This includes the BusinessNOW platform for simplified business registration, the partnership with development agencies to deliver digital and financial literacy training, the rollout of 5G and universal internet access, the launching of the National Cybersecurity
Strategy by this year’s end and the establishment of Fiji CERT to respond to cyber incidents.
The permanent secretary further urged all Fijians engaged in digital businesses to stay informed, operate responsibly and report questionable schemes.
“As we grow Fiji’s digital economy, we must build not just opportunity, but trust, transparency and long-term resilience.”
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated June 4, 2025
