The Fiji Monetary Intelligence Unit (FIU) is warning members of the general public of a present cryptocurrency rip-off within the nation.
The FIU said these scammers had circulated ads on varied Viber and different social media teams utilizing theofficial emblem of a authorities company and employees picture.
“These ads are pretend,” FIU director Razim Buksh stated.
“The pretend ads state that people in Fiji can buy bitcoin, overseas trade and binary buying and selling utilizing their cell cash wallets or financial institution transfers.
“The commercial gives two telephone numbers for additional enquiries. A neighborhood quantity and a overseas quantity.”
The FIU has suggested most people to be vigilant when receiving provides for investments, loans and employment on any on-line or social media platform.
The FIU has supplied a listing of what it has described as crimson flags or indicators that may anybody establish a scammer:
- Use of current advertising and marketing materials of presidency companies or respected entities. These are normally pretend;
- You’re requested to deposit funds into completely different accounts held within the names of a person versus a enterprise or a good monetary establishment;
- Aggressive sellers who could present exaggerated or false credentials together with ensures that the funding will carry out a sure method;
- No bodily tackle might be discovered;
- Undue stress and fixed follow-up to finish the transaction rapidly and risk to lose the provide if funds should not transferred or upfront deposit just isn’t paid;
- Restricted documentation supplied concerning the funding, mortgage or product supplied;
- Certificates of funding, financial institution assure, affirmation of account and transaction, customs and tax clearance certificates, employment contract and different comparable paperwork supplied to you’re pretend though it could look real. Keep in mind that such paperwork which might be issued by a authorities company or a good establishment isn’t supplied by way of any instantaneous messaging app or by social media;
- The return on funding, revenue or income supplied is excessively excessive and is simply too good to be true; and
- Spelling and grammatical errors are current within the ads and paperwork supplied.
Mr Buksh stated members of the general public wishing to interact in offshore investments, together with, the buying and selling of cryptocurrency or different digital property, should search prior approval from the Reserve Financial institution of Fiji.
However he added that offshore funding facility was presently suspended, and any engagement in unauthorised offshore funding would contravene the Change Management Act.
“Members of the general public are suggested that solely Fijian forex issued by the Reserve Financial institution of Fiji is authorized tender in Fiji. There are presently no authorised digital property service suppliers in Fiji.
“Transactions involving overseas forex shall be performed by business banks, authorised overseas trade sellers and cash changers in Fiji.”