Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica says the eBay shop online recruitment scam, one of the largest in Fiji's history, has had a devastating impact on our people and brought national attention to this growing threat as the Consumer Council of Fiji and Police reported that around $3 million was lost to the eBay scam.
Kamikamica says he believes that the number is a lot higher, and they are awaiting the report from the Reserve Bank of Fiji through the Financial Intelligence Unit, to properly report the extent of the impact of that scam in Fiji.
He says an important initiative to strengthen the legislative framework is underway, with the support of donor agencies, while Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya says he hopes there is a Bill on the Attorney General’s table to take this into a better space for Fiji in strengthening its laws.
Kamikamica stated this in his ministerial statement in parliament saying this review will be benchmarked against international best practice, ensuring that the laws are not only up-to-date, but also effective in addressing the evolving nature of scams.
He says the consultant which is going to be appointed intends to provide key recommendations in the areas for change, helping us to align our legal framework to global standards and enhance our capacity to protect our citizens.
He says an example of how weak our laws are is that if a scam is identified and everyone in the country is aware, nothing can be done unless there is a police complaint.
Furthermore, the FCCC has joined the Global Anti-Scam Alliance with the EASA and the Oceanic Chapter of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance to enhance its capability to tackle scams more effectively.
It is aimed again to raise awareness, provide practical tools, facilitate knowledge sharing and conduct research and educational events.
Through this partnership, the FCCC has gained access to critical tools such as the Scam Advisor Platform, which enables better detection and filtering of potential harmful online scams.
Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya says scams is a national problem and not a political one and something that needs to be dealt with on a different level.
He says he is hoping that the banks play an integral part with the massive profits they make that they can send some of those profits back into the institutions that put us in a better space.
Koya says that the National Scam Awareness Week has actually worked well and he commends the Deputy Prime Minister for this.
He says for a person in Fiji a loss of $100 through a scam is actually worth a lot to that person so they must ensure they get it right.
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