Trade Minister Manoa Kamikamica has revealed a disconcerting trend in a new form of scamming through Viber accounts.

The Minister says this was highlighted during the Scam Taskforce meetings.

Kamikamica says the Task Force has been inundated with reports and complaints, prompting urgent calls for heightened public awareness and vigilance.

Expressing the severity of the situation, Kamikamica emphasizes the need for individuals to take this new threat seriously.

“Accounts are being hacked, whereby the hacker will try to obtain money from one’s own context. This type of new impersonation is happening right now, and our task force has received a lot of reports and complaints. Alarms are being sounded, and we urge people to take this very seriously.”

Kamikamica says the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, Consumer Council, and Reserve Bank of Fiji are collaborating with digital solution providers to provide a proactive approach to raising awareness and educating the public on online scams.

The Minister assures that justice for victims is their top priority, and they will ensure that those involved in the scams are apprehended.

The Task Force is also planning extensive awareness programs to empower the public against falling victim to such scams in the future.