Samoa police issue warning of pyramid scheme proliferating on social media
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Samoa Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo is warning of a pyramid scheme currently making the rounds in Samoa.
Auapaau has confirmed that the Police are investigating the scheme though arrests are yet to be made.
The "Answer Club" scheme is a new pyramid scheme that offers financial returns to participants and commissions to members who bring new members into the scheme and has been making the rounds on social media.
The Samoa Observer is reporting that an increasing number of the general public have joined and are boasting on all platforms that they were assured of a commission of ST$20 per person they sign up. To register, participants must pay a $150 membership fee using a credit card.
“We are investigating it, and according to what the investigators have told me, one of the issues is that some witnesses and victims have not come forward to provide their accounts of what happened,” said Auapaau. "Until the victims come forward and provide an explanation, we cannot proceed and build a case if there has been criminal activity.
"Get rich quick schemes like pyramid selling are illegal and can cost your friends and family their hard-earned money."
“There’s the Attorney-General’s office that is involved as well we can refer to because these are complicated and sometimes there’s a lot of grey areas.”
No word locally in American Samoa if the scheme has migrated to the territory.