CYBER criminals are not targeting Fiji because consumers are foolish, but because the country’s rapid shift to mobile wallets and digital marketplaces has outpaced vital security habits.
The Online Safety Commission (OSC) insights also revealed that Fiji’s close-knit, trusting social structure is being heavily exploited by offshore syndicate networks using platforms such as Viber, Facebook Marketplace and TikTok.
The Commission also revealed to this newspaper that rather than relying on technical exploits, modern scammers are manipulating psychological triggers – such as urgency, fear and financial hope – to intercept funds before victims realise they are under attack.
OSC commissioner Filipe Batiwale made these comments in an e-mail interview in light of the prevalence of sophisticated digital scams recently, with local authorities warning consumers to remain vigilant against fraudulent online schemes.
“Scammers are not targeting Fiji because Fijians are foolish. They are targeting Fiji because we are connected, trusting and increasingly comfortable moving money online and criminals have learned how to exploit all three,” Mr Batiwale told The Fiji Times.
He said there was a market for scammers in the country, and they continued to target Fiji because of some past successful attempts.
“Fiji has high social media use, growing reliance on online transactions and mobile money, active online buying and selling, and strong financial and family connections with people overseas.
“These are positive developments, but criminals can exploit the same networks.”
He said under-reporting also made the problem harder to measure.
“We must remove the shame from reporting. The wrongdoing belongs to the scammer, not to the person whose trust was deliberately abused.”
Mr Batiwale said the required shift was simple – “recognition is not verification”.
“Fijians must move from ‘I recognise it so I trust it’ to ‘I have independently verified it so I can act’.”
He said Fiji needed faster reporting and response systems, stronger cooperation with banks and mobile money providers, effective police investigation, greater accountability from digital platforms and laws that allow evidence to be preserved before offenders disappeared or move the proceeds.
