Tandil warns of a decade-old digital scam targeting social media sellers

Tandil’s Municipal Consumer Information Office issues fresh warnings about a persistent virtual scam, resembling the traditional ‘cuento del tío,’ that continues to deceive sellers on social media with fake payment and refund requests.

Tandil’s Municipal Consumer Information Office has issued another warning about a virtual scam that has been circulating for roughly a decade and continues to catch out people selling goods on social media. The scam is a digital twist on the classic “cuento del tío”, in which fraudsters pose as buyers, gain the seller’s trust and then manoeuvre them into sending money to a third-party account.

According to local reports, the most common version starts when the supposed buyer says they have already made a transfer or sent a deposit. They then claim to have paid too much by mistake and ask for the difference back. The pressure often comes wrapped in urgent messages designed to push the seller into acting before checking whether any funds have actually reached their account.

The OMIC stressed that a transfer receipt is not proof that money has been credited. Its advice is simple: log in to the account personally, confirm the movement and only then consider any refund. It also warned against relying solely on bank or digital wallet safeguards when the seller themselves authorises the transfer, and said victims are not limited to any one age group or profession. The office noted that the scheme tends to become more active in the first 10 days of each month, when various paydays can make people more vulnerable to haste and distraction.

For anyone approached with a request to return money, the recommendation is to stop, verify and use official bank channels if there is any doubt. Tandil residents can contact the OMIC at its office on Chacabuco 383, ground floor, Monday to Friday from 8am to 2pm, by calling 0800-333-0477 or by emailing omic@tandil.gov.ar.