The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) has revealed that there are multiple cases of overcharging currently before the courts for determination.
FCCC chief executive officer Joel Abraham said since the rise of complaints received for overcharging, the Commission continued to pay particular attention to this offence under the FCCC Act 2010 – “where traders are taking advantage of this COVID-19 pandemic to charge excessive prices for goods and services by selling the goods and services significantly above their usual price”.
“Our biggest priority is to protect Fijian consumers from being misled or cheated, especially now. FCCC special response teams are out and about actively monitoring for price increases by unscrupulous traders trying to unfairly benefit from the current situation,” Mr Abraham said.
“It is extremely heinous to take advantage of vulnerable Fijians during this time, and we warn any unscrupulous trader that if they are caught overcharging, FCCC will take them to task under the FCCC Act 2010”.
Mr Abraham said they had prosecuted 12 local traders for overcharging in less than three months.
He said given the seriousness of the offence, the courts had imposed the maximum fine of $10,000 for some traders.
He warned that the Commission would not tolerate unscrupulous traders trying to take unfair advantage of consumers via unreasonable price increases of goods and services because of the pandemic.
Mr Abraham has advised those who believe they may have been a victim of overcharging or suspect a business is overcharging to contact FCCC on 8921991 or submit their complaint through the Commission’s website or social media Facebook page.
