The RBF says it does not have an investment platform for the public that trades automatically. Photo: 123rf.com
Fiji's central bank and one of the country's main television networks have warned the Fijian public to beware of misinformation campaigns that endorse online investment trading platform scams.
The warning comes after a video circulating on Fijian social media groups showing the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) governor promoting a "get-rich-quick" scheme on an investment trading platform, promising a return of FJ$18,000 (approximately NZ$13,200) per month from an investment of FJ$500 (NZ$370).
The video features Fiji Television (Fiji TV) Limited's news manager reporting about the investment platform.
The RBF and Fiji Television have issued statements, saying the video is "fabricated" and "appears to have been generated using artificial intelligence".
In a statement, the RBF said it does not have an investment platform for the public that trades automatically, urging the public to verify their sources of information and avoid sharing the video.
The bank added it would accept no responsibility for any transactions or decisions undertaken based on the contents of the video.
The Fiji TV said the video "created using artificial intelligence or deepfake technology" was not "produced, authorised, or endorsed" by the organisation.
"We strongly condemn the unauthorised and unethical use of our brand and the likeness and voice of our presenter in an attempt to mislead the public," it said in a statement.
"This deliberate act of misinformation not only undermines public confidence in credible journalism but also constitutes a serious breach of personal privacy and professional integrity."
RBF governor Ariff Ali told The Fiji Times that the central bank had lodged a complaint with Meta - Facebook's parrent company - on Monday to take down the video.
Earlier this week, Bank of South Pacific (BSP) issued a statement warning that it was aware of fraudulent advertisements claiming to be from the bank.
BSP country head Haroon Ali told the newspaper that people should immediately delete any advertisement which asks them to click on a link to register for BSP Internet Banking and call the bank to report it.
In 2023, hundreds of Fijians fell for one of the biggest online scams in the country's history, leaving hundreds of people into "financial turmoil".
