A Cuban reported on social media a new scam involving 500 Cuban peso bills (CUP), allegedly used by criminals to trick those who carry large sums of cash.
In a video posted on TikTok, the man explained step by step the mechanics of the scam while demonstrating with several banknotes.
“Gentlemen, so you can see how the mechanics work now that scammers are coming in, so you don’t let them steal your money,” he warned at the beginning of the recording.
According to the details provided, the trick involves folding a 500 peso bill in half and strategically placing it next to another bill of the same value within a stack. They then arrange it so that, when counted quickly, it appears there is more money than there actually is.
“One single 500 bill and another one here make 1,500, and they sell it to you for 2,000 in the middle of the packages,” he explained while showing how they handle the cash so that, when counting aloud —“1, 2…”— the victim accepts a higher figure as valid.
According to their warning, for every 2,000 pesos counted under this method, a person could be unknowingly losing 500 pesos.
The complainant insisted that this practice was being carried out solely with 500 peso bills, due to their value and frequency of use in everyday transactions.
The author of the video recommended carefully checking each bill, avoiding counting bundles that have been organized by third parties, and being cautious of bundles that have been previously folded or handled.
In a context of high cash circulation in Cuba and persistent difficulties with electronic payments, such alerts have become common on social media, where citizens share methods to avoid fraud and protect their money.
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