The Central Bank of Samoa issued a public warning about a rising number of scams reported by commercial banks and money transfer operators in 2025, urging the public and financial institutions to remain vigilant as scam activity increases. Reported scam typologies include parcel scams, investment scams, romance scams, third-party deposit schemes using “mule” accounts, and online gaming scams, often initiated through online platforms such as WhatsApp or Facebook using urgency, emotional manipulation, and false promises. In fiscal year 2024/2025, 70 percent of suspicious reports filed by financial institutions with the Central Bank were related to scams, and so far in FY2025/2026 the Central Bank reports that 60 percent of filed reports are scam-related. The Central Bank has advised financial institutions to keep reporting suspicious activity, with received reports analysed and referred to the Samoa Police Service and other relevant authorities for investigation, and reminded the public that knowingly assisting scammers by accepting deposits and transferring money may constitute a money-laundering offence under the Crimes Act 2013.
Central Bank of Samoa 2025-12-08
Central Bank of Samoa warns public of rising online scams as 70 percent of suspicious reports are scam-related
The Central Bank of Samoa has issued a public warning about increasing scams reported by commercial banks and money transfer operators, urging vigilance as scam activity rises. In FY2024/2025, 70% of suspicious reports were scam-related, and 60% in FY2025/2026, with the Central Bank advising continued reporting and cautioning against facilitating scams, which may breach the Crimes Act 2013.