Con artists in Samoa are reportedly scamming residents by posing as agents for the government's seasonal work employment scheme.
The Samoa Observer said some of the victims turned out to the Faleolo Airport to fly out to but no charter flight was scheduled.
The newspaper reports a senior ministry official has confirmed that three people were identified by their victims.
Cabinet recently announced that 222 workers travelled for work in Australia's Northern Territory on a scheduled flight on September 19.
The Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry Pulotu Chiu Ling has said the scheme had attracted more than 10,000 applicants, some of whom are public servants looking for better earnings from the scheme.
He also confirmed a flight with workers on a similar scheme in New Zealand was due out this week.