Content creator Osmany Pimentel Valdés (@osmany_pimentel_valdes) reported on social media a new type of digital scam that affects Cubans both inside and outside the island.
According to Pimentel in a recent video, he was the victim of a scam that cost him $950 while trying to send an electrical generator to his relatives in Cuba from the United States.
Fraud begins when a relative in the U.S. looks for products on websites like Marketplace or Revolico to send to Cuba. After contacting a supposed seller, this person requests the recipient's number on the island.
Then, using social engineering tactics, he asks the person in Cuba for a Google location and sends a fake PIN, requesting that it be forwarded to him. This allows him to hack the recipient's WhatsApp.
Social engineering is a form of digital deception where cybercriminals manipulate individuals to obtain passwords, money, or personal information. They pretend to be someone trustworthy and exploit the victim's anxiety or lack of technological knowledge to achieve their goal.
From the cloned Cuban phone account, posing as a family member, the scammer contacts the buyer in the U.S. and assures them that everything is in order for them to proceed with the payment via Zelle, but the product never arrives.
"When you are going to make a purchase to send to Cuba, always call via video call. They are impersonating Cuban relatives to collect money without delivering the products," warned Pimentel.
Experts recommend making purchases only through trusted agencies and being cautious of any deal that asks for codes or quick transfers without visual verification.
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