Online Scams in Mendoza, Argentina

How it works

A major travel agency fraud case in Mendoza in January 2025 resulted in 80+ victims losing nearly $200,000 USD after paying for package holidays to the Caribbean and Disney that were never delivered. The agency — Guillén Enterprise — collected full payment via its website and social media channels, then shut down its online presence and ceased contact two days before departure. The owner was subsequently arrested by Mendoza authorities and the case was widely reported by Argentine national media including Infobae and Todo Noticias. The scale and recency of this case make online travel agency fraud a documented, active risk in Mendoza.

How it works

Mendoza has been specifically named by Argentine financial fraud investigators and national media as a hotspot for cryptocurrency investment scams, including fake cloud-mining contracts, fraudulent mining hardware sales, and token presales. Operators approach tourists and locals through social media, WhatsApp groups, or in-person at co-working spaces and hostels, promising guaranteed daily or monthly returns in stablecoins. Victims invest and receive false early returns to build confidence, then lose their principal when the platform disappears. Argentina's "Ponzidemia" — a documented epidemic of crypto Ponzi schemes driven by the country's economic instability — makes these scams particularly active during periods of high inflation or currency controls.