Uruguay Scams: Online, Investment & Tourist Fraud Guide
Common scams in Uruguay and how to report them to the Ministry of Interior cybercrime unit and your bank.
Emergency number: 911 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Uruguay has one of Latin America's highest rates of internet connectivity and digital banking adoption, which makes it a prime target for phishing, online shopping fraud and investment scams. The workhorse fraud is 'el cuento del tio' by phone and WhatsApp — a relative in sudden trouble, a bank 'security officer' cancelling a suspicious charge, a prize needing a release fee — increasingly combined with WhatsApp account takeovers in which the fraudster, holding a friend's real account, asks contacts to 'lend' money by instant transfer. Phishing waves impersonate BROU, Itau, Santander and the e-government portal in polished Spanish, and marketplace fraud on MercadoLibre-style platforms lures buyers and sellers off-platform to unprotected transfers.
Investment fraud has climbed with the rest of the region: Facebook and Instagram ads with cloned news portals and deepfaked public figures front fake trading platforms whose 'account managers' phone daily for further deposits, and crypto Ponzis spread through personal networks. Tourists in Montevideo, Punta del Este and Colonia mostly face milder risks — unofficial taxis, inflated summer rentals booked from abroad that don't exist, and card skimming — but holiday-rental fraud spikes every high season.
The Ministry of Interior operates a dedicated Cybercrime Unit, police reports can be filed online at denuncia.minterior.gub.uy, and CERTuy takes cyber-incident reports. The emergency number is 911, and the bank call remains the most critical first step whenever money has moved.
Common scams
- Phishing and smishing impersonating Uruguayan banks
- Online shopping non-delivery and fake e-commerce sites
- Investment and crypto platform scams
- WhatsApp account hijacking
Tourist-specific scams
- Unofficial taxi overcharging in Montevideo and Punta del Este
- Distraction theft in busy city areas
- Fake travel booking sites for beaches and resorts
Online shopping scams
- Phishing targeting online banking credentials
- Fake social media shops and marketplace non-delivery
- Crypto and investment platform fraud
Job scams
- Fake job offers requiring upfront payments for documentation
- Task scams via messaging apps
- Bogus remote-work 'platforms' charging registration fees before paying nothing
Romance scams
- Dating-app grooming leading to cryptocurrency investment requests
- Long-distance romance with escalating financial requests
- Hijacked WhatsApp accounts asking the victim's contacts for instant-transfer loans
Investment scams
- Fake forex and crypto trading platforms
- Pyramid and multi-level recruitment schemes
- Cloned news portals and deepfaked figures advertising fraudulent brokers
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank immediately if money was transferred
- File a police report online at denuncia.minterior.gub.uy or call 911
- Report cybercrime to the Unidad de Cibercrimen at [email protected] or call (+598) 2030 4625
- Preserve all digital evidence: screenshots, messages, transaction records
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Uruguayan banks can attempt to freeze fraudulent transfers most effectively in the first few hours, so call yours immediately using the number on your card or in the banking app. Say you were deceived into authorising the payment, ask for it to be stopped and the receiving account reported, and take a reference number. If your online banking credentials or a code were shared, ask for them to be reset; if your WhatsApp was taken over, re-register the number, enable two-step verification and warn your contacts before the fraudster reaches them. Card payments to fake shops or brokers can be disputed as chargebacks. Then file a report at denuncia.minterior.gub.uy, or contact the Unidad de Cibercrimen on (+598) 2030 4625 — banks typically want that report reference for a formal claim.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
How do I report cybercrime in Uruguay?
Contact the Ministry of Interior's Cybercrime Unit (Unidad de Cibercrimen) at [email protected] or call (+598) 2030 4625. You can also file a police report online at denuncia.minterior.gub.uy or visit any police station.
What is 'el cuento del tio' in Uruguay?
It is the umbrella term for confidence-trick calls and messages: a relative in trouble, a bank officer 'protecting' your account, a prize needing a fee. The modern version usually arrives via a hijacked WhatsApp account belonging to someone you actually know. Verify any money request by calling the person back on their known number.
How do I avoid summer rental fraud in Punta del Este?
High-season listings copied from real properties and 'owners' demanding deposits by transfer are a recurring January problem. Book through platforms with payment protection, video-call the property with the host, and be suspicious of prices well below the seasonal market.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance