Police records eight complaints against a female scammer

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 12 OCTOBER 2022: The Police Deputy Commissioner, Papali’i Monalisa Tiai-Keti has confirmed that eight individuals have filed complaints against a woman wanted by police for fraud.

Papalii named the woman as Lynn Nauer reportedly from Lepea and Lauli’i who allegedly posed as a government official coordinating and processing seasonal work applications and claiming money from the people whom she misled.

The case has been handed to the police Professional Standards Unit and police are seeking public assistance in finding the woman for further investigations.

The case came to public attention a week ago with media images and stories of several men who claim to have been misled by the woman, on a foot-chase of the woman’s car in downtown Apia in an attempt to return their money.

“According to investigations by PSU, none of these men was charged over this incident as the men were chasing the woman to get their money back resulting in her vehicle jumping onto the sidewalk,” said Papali’i.

“But the men did not stone her vehicle” she explained.

Meanwhile, Papali’i is warning members of the public to be vigilant as there have been numerous notices to inform the public that the applications for Seasonal work are only handled and processed by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour.

This is not the first case of people being scammed and lost money in their effort to get into the Seasonal Work programme to work overseas and some have gone as far as going to the airport ready to depart, only to find there was no aircraft and the airport closed.