Fraudulent government documents are being circulated on social media, prompting the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour to warn that those responsible could face serious legal consequences.

In a public notice issued by Chief Executive Officer Fepuleai Roger Toleafoa, the Ministry said falsified documents are being shared on Facebook pages “Benita fx trading” and “Benita Global” under the name of Bitwise FX Company.

The fake documents include a Certificate of Registration of Business Name and a Foreign Investment Certificate, falsely claiming to have been issued or endorsed by the Ministry.

The Ministry made it clear that the documents are not authentic and were never issued by its office. It stressed that the creation, use or distribution of falsified government documents is a serious offence and may result in legal action.

“Any reliance on such documents is done at your own risk,” the notice stated, urging members of the public to verify the authenticity of any documents circulating online through official Ministry communication channels.

The Ministry also called on anyone who receives suspicious documents claiming to originate from its office to report them immediately.

The Samoa Observer emailed the Chief Executive Officer seeking further comment on the matter. However, at the time of publication, the emails had gone unanswered.