Advance-Fee Scams in Mongolia
Advance-fee fraud in Mongolia circulates on Facebook with fake business opportunities and government-tender bribes targeting Mongolia's entrepreneurial community.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Mongolia's growing economy and active entrepreneurial culture have made business-focused advance-fee scams increasingly common. Fraudulent messages claiming to offer shares in mining contracts, government tenders, or foreign investment deals require upfront 'facilitation fees' that are never followed by any real contract.
With Facebook remaining the dominant social media platform in Mongolia, these schemes circulate widely in Mongolian-language posts and private messages, targeting both established business owners and aspirational first-time entrepreneurs. International variants also reach Mongolian businesspeople through email, presenting fake opportunities in infrastructure, minerals, or livestock exports.
How this scam works on Mongolia
A message or Facebook post claims that a large mining, construction, or export contract is available to qualified Mongolian companies, but a registration or compliance fee is required to apply. Alternatively, a 'foreign investor' seeks a Mongolian partner and requires a small advance fee to process partnership papers.
Some scams impersonate the Mongolian Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority (MRPAM) or the State Procurement Agency with forged letterheads. Victims pay the fee and are then presented with additional fees — compliance deposits, insurance bonds, facilitation payments — before the 'deal' collapses entirely.
Rural herders and small-business owners with limited experience of formal procurement processes are particularly vulnerable to government-tender impersonation scams.
Common red flags
- A lucrative contract or investment deal requires an upfront fee before terms can be finalised.
- The opportunity arrived unsolicited via Facebook or personal email.
- The sender impersonates a government ministry but communicates through a personal number or free email account.
- Additional fees keep emerging after each payment.
- Urgency is created by citing expiring tender windows or limited investor slots.
How to protect yourself
- Verify any government tender through the State Procurement Agency portal at tender.gov.mn.
- Consult a Mongolian business lawyer before paying any fee related to a contract.
- Contact MRPAM directly to verify mining licence opportunities through official channels.
- Never pay fees to unknown parties to secure business contracts.
- Warn your business network about suspicious offers circulating on Facebook.
How to report it
- Report to the Mongolian National Police and the General Authority for State Registration.
- Notify the relevant government agency if their name has been impersonated.
- Report fraudulent Facebook accounts using the platform's built-in tools.
Frequently asked questions
Do Mongolian government tenders require upfront fees?
No. Legitimate Mongolian government procurement is conducted through the State Procurement Agency portal (tender.gov.mn) with no upfront fees to individuals. Any offer requiring a fee to access a tender is fraudulent.