What was promised to be an unforgettable Caribbean experience for a couple of influencers turned into a nightmare that has gone around the world.
Justin and Alina, a young couple of travelers based in Australia (she was born in Russia and he in Hong Kong), released a video titled “The Unknown Side of Cuba (Why We Wouldn't Return),” in which they claim to have been victims of a scam and extortion while vacationing on the Island.
With over 130,000 subscribers on YouTube, Justin & Alina have documented their travels across Asia and Europe, but it was their recent visit to Cuba that left a bitter impression they decided to share with their digital community.
A "trap" disguised as a mojito
In the video, which has already surpassed 70,000 views since its release on May 1, 2025, they detail the incident that reportedly occurred in the historic center of Havana.
It all began when a local man approached them in a friendly manner, offered them "homemade" mojitos, and led them to what he described as a local bar, supposedly away from traditional tourism.
Although they were initially assured that the drinks were inexpensive, once served and after just taking a sip, they were charged $45 per cocktail. When the couple refused, having only brought with them the equivalent of their daily food budget, the situation escalated quickly.
According to Justin and Alina, they were surrounded, pressured, and threatened, preventing them from leaving the place until they handed over all the cash they had.
“They yelled at us, pushed us, and looked through our backpacks. It was an emotional and physical ambush. We never imagined that something as simple as accepting a friendly drink would lead to this kind of aggression,” they reported in the video.
Without help, without understanding: "In their eyes, we were not people, we were cash cows."
The couple recounts that they tried to reason with the scammers, explaining that they had not accepted the drinks with knowledge of the price, but they were met with hostility and sarcasm.
"They didn't care that Alina was crying, that we were visibly distressed. At no point did they show any empathy. They even told us we could call the police, as if they knew nothing would happen," they assured.
This episode tarnished not only their experience on the Island but also their overall perception of the country. "We wanted to see real Cuba, but what we experienced was a trap organized to squeeze every penny out of us," they recounted.
As they walked through the streets after the incident, they received cynical comments from locals who seemed to be aware of what had happened: "Ah, so it was you. Welcome to my country."
A reflection of a deeper reality
Although content creators acknowledge the natural beauty of Cuba and the warmth of some people, they stated that situations like this — which also involve deceit in restaurants, rental homes, and tourist services — seriously harm the country's image and discourage potential visitors.
The case has generated a strong echo on social media, where similar testimonies from tourists who experienced scams during their stay in Cuba are multiplying. Meanwhile, there has been no public response from Cuban authorities regarding these practices that continue to occur in broad daylight and often with complete impunity.
A recurring problem: Tourists warn about scams and extortion in Cuba
The case of Justin and Alina is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a concerning trend affecting many visitors in Cuba. In recent years, various tourists have reported being victims of scams and deception during their stay on the island.
In March 2025, a young Spanish woman identified on TikTok as @juditgm96 shared her experience in Cuba,
In May 2023, An Austrian tourist reported that a Cuban family scammed her out of 60,000 euros. After years of friendship, she lent them money to buy a house in Santiago de Cuba, but upon her return, she found that they had changed the lock and were demanding more money to recover her belongings. Cuban authorities dismissed her case, citing the lack of a written contract.
In 2018, deceptive practices were reported in state establishments, where employees charged inflated prices to tourists or tampered with labels to confuse customers. Some viewed these actions as clever tricks taking advantage of the supposed naivety of foreign visitors.
In addition, in 2016, a Cuban woman was accused of defrauding 60 Italian tourists out of more than 40,000 euros by promising to organize a New Year's vacation in Cuba. After receiving the payments, she vanished without delivering the agreed services.
These situations reflect a persistent issue in the Cuban tourism sector, where the lack of effective regulation and the economic crisis have created an environment conducive to scams.
The testimonies of those affected, such as Justin and Alina, Judit Gómez, and others, underscore the need for measures that protect visitors and preserve the integrity of tourism on the island.
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