Article – RNZAuthorities in Pacific Islands countries are currently warning about pyramid schemes being promoted to their citizens on social media.RNZ PacificPacific communities are being urged to think twice before committing to investment opportunity scams which often cheat people of their money. Authorities in Pacific Islands countries including Vanuatu and Tonga are currently warning about pyramid schemes being promoted to their citizens on social media. New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority regulatory services manager Sam McGuire said such schemes looked to leverage the close bonds of Pacific communities to hook people in. Describing the threat of these scams as regional, McGuire said Pacific communities are attractive to scammers because of their strong connections to whanau and friends, both locally and abroad. “That’s the really tough part of pyramid schemes, because you are actually introduced by someone you know, someone close to you.