Fijians have been warned against a notorious con-artist known to be operating a bogus financial service promising quick cash loans.
The Consumer Council of Fiji issued a fresh alert yesterday advising all consumers in the country against engaging with Global Finance Ltd (GFL) – operated by one Mr Bridge.
According to the council, GFL – that previously operated as Potential Business Solutions – claims to provide financial services, taking deposits and providing loans that never eventuate once deposits are received.
It has been established that this unscrupulous operation was first discovered in 2020, which the council says has since ripped off numerous Fijians under the pretext that it will provide immediate loans after the payment of deposits and membership fees.
“The modus operandi of this business entails going around to communities and holding numerous workshops; enticing people with different products that they have to offer only to disappear when deposits were received for the so-called loan products. Numerous follow ups by those affected were ignored and their mobile numbers blocked,” Consumer Council of Fiji CEO Seema Shandil said in a statement.
“Recent consumer complaints and subsequent investigations by the Council revealed that Global Finance is still actively operating and Fijians are still falling victim to the façade being orchestrated by this company.”
Ms Shandil said the council had received more than 20 complaints against GFL in the last eight months, with a monetary value of almost $24,000 lost by consumers.
The latest case lodged at the council involved a consumer who paid $4565 as membership fees and deposit to obtain a loan of $15,500, only to be ghosted by the business owner.
“The operator of Global Finance uses his charm, communication and persuasion skills to extract cash deposits from consumers for quick loans; which never eventuates. The individual in question, is a notorious con-artist who has been going around and preying on vulnerable communities across Fiji; including rural and maritime areas and the recent cases reveals Taveuni and Savusavu as his target areas.”
The Reserve Bank of Fiji had also issued a statement in November cautioning consumers about Global Finance, and that it is not a licensed deposit taker in Fiji, and should not be soliciting, accepting, or given any form of deposits from the general public.
Ms Shandil said the council had forwarded the complaints to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Fiji Police Force for investigations and they were working closely with the department to protect Fijian consumers.
