Fraudulent website impersonating gov’t agency

The government has issued a public warning about a fraudulent website that is impersonating official agencies and attempting to harvest personal information. 

The alert, published on November 19, states that the website “bvima.uk” falsely presents itself as linked to the Virgin Islands Shipping and Maritime Authority (VISMA) and the government itself.

According to the notice, the site features a registration page at “bvima.uk/registration,” which refers to the BVI Tourism Act, 2024, and requests visitors to submit their personal details. Officials stressed that no part of the government is associated with the page.

“The Government of the Virgin Islands has no association with this website, and no such visitor registration requirement exists,” the release stated.

Preliminary checks suggest that the site may be attempting to collect personal or financial data. 

The advisory calls on residents, businesses, and visitors to take extra care when navigating online platforms. It instructs the public to “avoid clicking on unfamiliar links or websites claiming government affiliation without verification” and to exercise caution when opening any email requesting personal information, payments, or login details.

Authorities also reminded users to check the authenticity of government information by relying only on official domains. The notice urged the public to “verify official information only through government-owned websites ending in .gov, .vg, or other established official channels” and to report any suspicious digital activity to the Department of Information Technology.

The government confirmed that several departments have been alerted and that steps are underway to submit reports to international cybersecurity and anti-fraud bodies. 

“Relevant government departments have been notified, and steps are being taken to file appropriate reports with international cybersecurity and anti-fraud authorities,” The release noted while adding that the situation is being monitored actively.

The public was directed to official online sources for accurate information, including bvi.gov.vg and the Virgin Islands Shipping and Maritime Authority portal at bvimaritime.vg.

The government said it remains committed to safeguarding the territory’s information systems and ensuring that the public stays informed.