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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [CRIME]

11 clusters · 49 sources · 80 days · First seen 3 months ago · Last updated 18 days ago

Argentina online fraud surge

Overview

By mid-September 2026, new fraudulent modalities emerged in Argentina. In Tandil, the Municipal Office of Consumer Information (OMIC) warned of a digital ‘uncle’ scam where criminals pose as social media buyers, claiming to have overpaid for items to pressure sellers into immediate refunds. Simultaneously, Banco Provincia (BAPRO) alerted the public to fake investment advisors using social engineering. These scammers often request victims to share screens or install remote access applications to steal security codes and facilitate unauthorized transfers, sometimes using fictitious platforms to display fake profits.

Technological advancements have introduced more sophisticated impersonation tactics. Economic journalist Willy Kohan reported that his likeness was manipulated using artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos on YouTube, promoting fraudulent investment schemes. On September 18, authorities in Buenos Aires province expanded their warnings to include a WhatsApp scam targeting retirees and pensioners. The Institute of Social Security (IPS) and IOMA reported that criminals are impersonating these organizations to request fraudulent payments under the guise of processing a ‘fe de vida’ (proof of life) procedure.

By late September, reports of diverse scams continued to rise. In Río Negro, a retiree lost over 1.1 million pesos after criminals impersonated gas company employees using remote access software. In Tucumán, a 74-year-old woman was targeted by individuals posing as health subsidy employees, leading to a fraudulent 10-million-peso loan application. Additionally, in Santa Fe, a man was detained for defrauding a woman of approximately 25,000 dollars through a fraudulent spiritualist scheme. On September 23, PAMI alerted affiliates to fraudulent messages regarding diaper deliveries, trips, or computer distributions.

Entities

PAMI · Banco Nación · Banco Provincia · Lemon Cash · Tandil

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] The Subsecretariat of Prevention and Citizen Organization, under the Ministry of Security, held a training session on digital scam prevention.
[● 2 SOURCES] The training session was attended by 50 people at the Club Ceppron in Neuquén.
[● 2 SOURCES] Participants were advised to review WhatsApp privacy settings, such as blocking unknown calls and limiting profile visibility.
[● 2 SOURCES] Caetano Ríos reported losing 5 million pesos from his virtual wallet while attempting to buy a 2008 Volkswagen Gol Power.
[● 2 SOURCES] Ríos's father transferred 450,000 pesos as a 10% down payment for the vehicle.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Activating two-step verification on WhatsApp was recommended as a primary security measure.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The victim filed a report at the Sixth Police Station in Paraná, which was referred to the Economic Crimes area.
[○ 1 SOURCE] A 25-year-old university student lost 710,000 pesos attempting to purchase an iPhone via Facebook Marketplace.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The student made two transfers of 335,000 and 375,000 pesos to a third-party bank alias.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Prosecutor's Office ordered an investigation into the recipient accounts and the phone line used in the iPhone scam.

Timeline

18 days ago

[CRIME] 2 sources
Authorities in Spain and Argentina address scams targeting elderly citizens
Police in Alicante, Spain, launched a security plan to protect seniors from fraud, while a resident in Las Heras, Argentina, reported losing 400,000 pesos to a supermarket-themed WhatsApp scam.
about 2 months ago

[CRIME] 17 sources
Argentina authorities warn of rising financial and identity scams
Argentina faces a rise in diverse scams, including fake investment advisors, fraudulent job offers from McCain, utility bill scams targeting retirees, and identity theft via WhatsApp and digital wallets.
about 2 months ago

[CRIME] 3 sources
Facebook Marketplace scams target users in Argentina
Fraudsters using Facebook Marketplace in Argentina have targeted individuals, including a man losing 5 million pesos in a vehicle scam and a student losing 710,000 pesos for an iPhone.
about 2 months ago

[CRIME] 4 sources
IOMA and IPS alert retirees to WhatsApp scams in Buenos Aires
Argentine authorities IOMA and IPS have warned retirees of a WhatsApp scam involving fake ‘proof of life’ procedures used to solicit fraudulent payments.
about 2 months ago

[CRIME] 2 sources
Identity theft and AI impersonation scams reported in Paraguay and Argentina
Identity theft and AI-driven fraud are on the rise, with entrepreneurs in Paraguay and journalists in Argentina reporting impersonation scams via WhatsApp and deepfake investment videos.
about 2 months ago

[CRIME] 3 sources
Authorities warn of rising virtual scams and investment fraud
Authorities in Argentina are warning of rising virtual scams, including social media purchase fraud and fake investment advisors using remote access to steal funds.
2 months ago

[CRIME] 3 sources
Authorities in Argentina and Colombia warn of rising identity theft scams
Authorities in Argentina and Colombia are warning citizens of rising cybercrime, including WhatsApp impersonation of officials and fraudulent calls regarding social subsidies.
2 months ago

[CRIME] 6 sources
Neuquén authorities hold digital scam prevention training
Authorities in Neuquén, Argentina, held a training session for 50 citizens to combat rising digital scams, focusing on WhatsApp security and protecting personal and financial data.
3 months ago

[CRIME] 7 sources
Police warn of mobile phone scams and identity theft
Police in Argentina and Peru are warning against mobile-based scams, including WhatsApp identity theft and extortion facilitated by unauthorized phone repairs.
3 months ago

[CRIME] 2 sources
Argentina warns of telephone and social‑media scams targeting lawyers and public‑sector employees
Argentina's Córdoba Bar Association and Catamarca police warned of phone and social‑media scams that impersonate official services, urging the public not to share data or install unknown apps.
3 months ago

[CRIME] 2 sources
Car purchase scam in Libertad and SIM‑swapping fraud ruling in Argentina highlight rising online fraud
A Facebook car‑sale scam in Libertad and an Argentine court ruling on a SIM‑swapping fraud involving Movistar and Banco Galicia expose rising online fraud in Latin America.

Sources

ayacuchoaldia.com.ar · barinoticias.com.ar · cableinformacion.com.ar · carlospazvivo.com · chavesdigital.com.ar · ciudadoriental.com · diariocorreo.pe · diariodechimbote.com · diariodelsur.com.co · diariopanorama.com · diariosanrafael.com.ar · elaconquija.com · elcactus.com.ar · eldia.com.ar · elnuevosiglo.com.co · elperiodicodetlaxcala.com · elportalbonaerense.com.ar · elpueblodigital.uy · elsigloweb.com · emisoraprincipal.com · entrelineas.info · esperancino.com.ar · facundoquiroga.com · fmdellagoesquel.com.ar · fmpowermax.com.ar · fuego24.com · infoplatense.com.ar · informeseprimero.com.ar · itapuanoticias.tv · lagacetaonline.com.ar · lajornadaestadodemexico.com · lapalabradelobos.com · laportada.mx · levante-emv.com · lu24.com.ar · magacin247.com · malargueadiario.com · noticias.perfil.com · noticiasdeleste.info · periodicolasheras.com.ar · piercingjewelry.com · pilardetodos.com.ar · quilmespresente.com · revistaenterate.com.ar · serrano.uy · todoalicante.es · todoartigas.uy · trendtic.cl

This summary has been updated 10 times: see revision history