Advance-Fee Scams in Uzbekistan
Advance-fee fraud targets Uzbekistani residents with fake government grant schemes, business contracts, and overseas inheritance claims requiring upfront payments.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
As Uzbekistan's economy modernises and entrepreneurship grows, advance-fee scammers have adapted their pitches to match local aspirations. Fake government business grants, international export contracts, and diaspora inheritance claims all serve as vehicles for demanding upfront payments that are never refunded.
The expanding digital economy means more Uzbek citizens are reachable through digital channels, increasing the potential victim pool while awareness of digital fraud lags.
How this scam works on Uzbekistan
In Uzbekistan, advance-fee scammers frequently pose as government officials or representatives of the Small Business Development Agency, claiming to offer access to a preferential business development grant. A small processing fee is required to register the application — and then further fees continue to escalate until the scheme collapses.
International business variants target Uzbek textile, dried-fruit, and mineral exporters with fake foreign buyer inquiries requiring advance customs bonds before orders are placed.
Diaspora members are targeted with claims of unclaimed inheritance funds or pension arrears from Soviet-era accounts that require notarial fees to transfer.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited notification of a business grant or foreign buyer opportunity
- Any fee presented as a prerequisite for receiving government funds or completing a legitimate transaction
- Government official cannot be verified through the named agency's official contact channels
- Foreign buyer insists on advance payment rather than a letter of credit
- Communication is only through personal Telegram or Gmail rather than official channels
- Urgency: the grant window or buyer's interest will lapse if you do not act immediately
How to protect yourself
- Verify any business grant offer directly with the Small Business Development Agency of Uzbekistan
- Use internationally standard trade finance instruments for export transactions
- Check any inheritance or pension claim with the relevant official Uzbek authority
- Take time and seek independent advice — scammers depend on urgency to prevent verification
- Report suspicious approaches to the Ministry of Internal Affairs
How to report it
- Report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs cybercrime unit
- Notify the relevant government agency if its name was used without authorisation
- Report to your bank if funds were transferred
Frequently asked questions
Does the Uzbekistan Small Business Development Agency charge application fees?
Official grant programmes have transparent, publicly available application procedures. Any fee demanded outside those official channels is not legitimate.