The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), wishes to inform members of the public on the various scam schemes targeting individuals in Mauritius through social media platforms such as “Facebook”, “Whatsapp”, etc. which involve:

 

• Promise of valuables such as jewellery, vehicles, foreign currency, etc. or employment in exchange of cash being deposited in local bank accounts or other individuals;
  
  
• Requests to open bank account(s) in Mauritius or share bank account details to receive funds from unknown sources or send bank cards to overseas persons and transfer cash received in bank account(s) to overseas persons;
  
  
• Instructions received from purported “official authorities” to effect payment of “fees” into local banks accounts in exchange of “money laundering clearance certificate”, “insurance certificate”, “customs clearance”, etc.

The FIU’s functions is to gather, collect and analyse and disseminate its findings in respect of information on suspected money laundering offences to the competent authorities and does not issue any “money laundering certificate” and will never contact members of the general public through social media platforms. Members of the public are advised to be vigilant and refrain from participating in such schemes.