The Immigration Department is closely monitoring the entry of people from India who may be conned to come to Fiji under an Education Scam.
Director, Viliame Naupoto said following the discovery of a bogus University of Pacific site and the attempted entry of one Indian national into Fiji earlier this week, they have managed to obtain information that a major recruitment drive is underway to send Indian nationals to the university which does not exist.
Commander Naupoto said the University of Pacific website also has a phone number and mobile phone contact. The mobile number has been diverted while the phone number belongs to a company in Ba.
He said they have also contacted the company officials in Ba.
"We’ve had initital discussions with them – the people in Ba, Global Electric – and they’re quite surprised that their name is in there. Right now we cannot find a link to them but we would like to make it public now. I think it is better that way. We do not let this people win. The longer we leave it, the more people that they will trick into getting more money out of it. Especially these very poor people in India. And usually the victims of this case are the people who are really struggling and looking for a better life than where they are." Commander Viliame Naupoto.
The profiling of the incoming people is the key and immigration officials have to be on the alert.
Although people coming from India do not need a visa to enter Fiji, Commander Naupoto said student and work permits are required before they come to the country.
"If they’re coming in to study or work, they need those permits before arrival. If they’re coming in as visitors, they can just come in without a visa and the profiling done at the border is done along the lines of entry requirements. We can ask them questions as to where they’re staying and for how long. If they say they’re coming to stay at the Sheraton, for example, we match that with their occupation, try and match that with the amount of money – to make sure that they really have money. We go a further step and find out if they’re really booked at the Sheraton. Those are the kinds of things that we check at the border and that’ll then allow us to make a decision as to whether this person is a genuine traveler or he is not." Commander Viliame Naupoto.
