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A group of caregiving students are believed to be the latest victim of fraud whereby they lost approximately $13,000 to an individual posing as a visa consultant on social media.

This has been revealed by the Consumer Council of Fiji as it warns Fijians to exercise caution when dealing with visa consultants.

Chief Executive Seema Shandil says a preliminary investigation revealed that multiple students from the same institution had collectively paid hundreds of dollars, without ever meeting or speaking to the individual directly and all communication occurred solely via social media.

Shandil says the ease with which these fraudsters operate is alarming, and it also points to a lack of vigilance among consumers.

The CEO says these fraudsters are capitalizing on the eagerness of Fijians to secure overseas employment and migration opportunities, often taking large sums of money in exchange for empty promises.

She emphasized that consumers should be cautious about sending money to individuals they’ve only interacted with online, urging them to verify all claims before making any financial commitments.

Shandil stressed that the desire for overseas opportunities has made many Fijians easy targets for scammers who promise quick and easy migration pathways, but in reality, people are losing thousands of dollars.