The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) has been hit by a scam.
It involves fraudulent messages demanding payments for customs clearance.
FRCS states these deceptive messages, falsely claiming that goods will be held at the border without payment, mimic FRCS’s official “Planned Outage – VAT Monitoring System (VMS)” template.
One such message reads “Your parcel and package have reached our borders and as a result of the outgoing policies of our taxation and as an international personal delivery from the United States, you are to pay 300.00 Fiji dollars. Failure to comply with your package will be held here in our borders and will not be allowed inside Fiji without our stamp till further notice.”
“FRCS clarifies that it does not use “Planned Outage” or “Public Notice” templates to request payments,” said FRCS.
“The scam messages are riddled with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and incorrect or incomplete contact details, making them easily identifiable as fraudulent.”
“Alarmingly, some individuals have fallen victim, making payments through e-wallet platforms.”
To protect against these scams, FRCS advises the public to scrutinise documents or payment notices for errors, verify payment requests received via unofficial channels like Viber, Facebook, or WhatsApp, contact FRCS directly at 1326, 3243000, or info@frcs.org.fj for confirmation and request a Bill of Landing, Airway Bill, or reference number and confirm with FRCS’s Customs Division whether goods have arrived.
“FRCS urges anyone receiving suspicious payment requests to refrain from responding or sending money and to report the incident immediately to FRCS or the Fiji Police Force.”
