VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, Trade and Investment has issued an urgent public warning about a fraudulent scheme circulating on social media that falsely uses the name and position of Finance Minister Pierre Laporte and Principal Secretary Astride Tamatave to solicit grant applications from small and medium enterprises, with the ministry stating unequivocally that no such scheme exists and that everything about the promotion is fraudulent. The false offer, which targets the business community and small enterprises, claims to provide financial assistance through a so-called “National Grant Scheme” and invites applicants to submit detailed personal and business information by email to the purported “Grants Committee” chaired by Minister Laporte, with a stated deadline of April 13, 2026.
The warning is critical for the Seychellois business community, particularly small and medium enterprise owners who may be tempted by the prospect of government grant funding at a time of economic pressure. Fraudulent schemes of this nature not only risk financial losses for victims who may share sensitive information or pay fees in anticipation of funds, but also undermine public trust in legitimate government programmes and financial assistance initiatives that genuinely exist for local businesses.
The fraudulent promotion claims to be “committed to supporting the growth and development of small and medium enterprises and businesses in Seychelles” and invites applicants to complete an attached application form that “gathers essential information about you or your business, including its history, operations, financial status, and proposed use of grant funds.” It calls on recipients to send a scanned copy to an email address and concludes with language encouraging people to apply and “take advantage of this opportunity to grow and thrive.” A spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance stated plainly: “There is no such scheme. People should not fall for it. Everything is fraudulent.”
Fraudulent schemes exploiting the names of government ministers and senior officials to target ordinary citizens and businesses have been an ongoing concern across the region, with social media platforms providing fraudsters with a low-cost and highly scalable method of distributing convincing-looking communications that can easily reach thousands of recipients before authorities are able to issue corrections. The use of official titles and names lends false legitimacy to such schemes, making it more difficult for members of the public to identify them as scams without prior warning.
Members of the public and business owners who have received the fraudulent communication are strongly advised not to submit any personal or business information, not to contact any email addresses provided in the message, and to report the communication to the relevant authorities. Any legitimate government grant or financial assistance programmes for businesses in Seychelles will be announced through official government channels and will never solicit sensitive financial information via unsolicited social media messages or email attachments.
The Ministry of Finance urged the public to remain vigilant and to verify any financial offer claiming government affiliation directly with the relevant ministry before taking any action.
