Pastor Forgives Online Car Sales Scammer

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 20 March 2025 – A New Zealand based Samoan Pastor has forgiven a woman who scammed him of $14,000 for a car she sold online.

The Pastor travelled from New Zealand to give evidence against the woman in court, but the matter has been adjourned to August due to the unavailability of the court judge.

Prior to the date the woman was to appear in court, the Pastor visited her at her home to deliver a summon from court informing her of the hearing date.

What the pastor found touched his heart as he thought with all the money he paid her, the woman should be living in good house. However, she found her living in a small Samoan hut – faleo’o with 5 young children running around the house.

He also found out that the woman’s husband was currently working overseas under the seasonal workers program.

The Pastor took pity on the woman’s situation and the children and when the matter was adjourned, he advised the court registrar to withdraw his complaint.

“I have forgiven her and I have withdrawn my complaint against her,” said the pastor who does not want to be identified.

The scam
The pastor who travels frequently to Samoa wanted to buy a car for his and his family in Samoa and found a woman selling used cars from Japan online.

He inquired, chose the vehicle he wanted and after agreeing to the price, the pastor then transferred $14,000 to the given account. But when he arrived in Samoa, there was no car, so he contacted the woman and after given the run around, he realised he had been scammed – then decided to take legal.

Later, the pastor found that he was not alone. Also pending in court is a complaint by a family in Australia who also bought a car online for $16,000 from the same person, for their family in Samoa.

Other than individuals, Car rental businesses have also been targeted.

A local car rental owner was surprised when two people turned up at his business with paid receipts to pick up their cars from his rental business.

According to the car rental business owner, he was bullied and accused of being a thief by the scammers clients who eventually was took him to the police station where he was supposed to be charged.

No charges were laid against him after the clients realised that they have been scammed.

The New Zealand based Pastor however still wonders where all the money has gone having found the accused living in a hut with five small kids to keep. The pastor suspects the woman is just a front for some people behind the scene and who are holding the money.