Cuban Exposes Jewelry Scam Targeting His Mother in Cienfuegos

In a viral TikTok video, a Cuban living in the United States revealed that his mother fell victim to a common jewelry scam in Cienfuegos, Cuba. The incident, which involves fake rings, is a well-known con in the country, as confirmed by multiple internet users.

The TikTok user @marky.barrera.ofi shared his mother's unfortunate encounter, warning residents of Cienfuegos about the scam. He expressed uncertainty about whether this scheme was widespread across other regions in Cuba, but made it clear that it occurred in Cienfuegos.

While walking along El Prado, near a funeral home, his mother bent down to tie her shoe when a young man pretended to find a bag of rings, feigning excitement over the discovery. Inside the bag was a note claiming the jewelry's value.

Shortly thereafter, an individual posing as a gold buyer appeared, asserting that the rings were genuine 18-karat gold, each worth approximately $500. The young "finder" offered one of these rings to the man's mother in exchange for her necklace and earrings, under the pretense that he needed a gift for his sister's upcoming 15th birthday.

The "jeweler" encouraged the swap, insisting the rings were more valuable. Believing she was making a wise trade, the woman agreed. "My mom, innocent as she is, exchanged them," explained marky.barrera.ofi, noting that his mother called him excitedly, thinking she would sell the rings and send him the money. However, they soon realized it was a scam.

Upon discovering the deceit, his mother was deeply distressed, experiencing severe nausea and headaches. The video attracted thousands of views and comments, with many users highlighting that such scams—often referred to as "el encontradito" or "la pala"—have plagued Cuba for a long time. These cons typically involve a team of fraudsters playing different roles, including a scammer, a fake victim, and a supposed expert or buyer.

One commenter noted, "That scam is very common in Havana," while others shared similar experiences from Santiago, Holguín, Santa Clara, Camagüey, Matanzas, Las Tunas, and even Guantánamo.

Some questioned whether the victim was truly fooled or was attempting to gain an advantage. One person commented, "That's not a scam; she was trying to be clever but failed," while another said, "She thought she was the smart one, and it backfired."

Such scams have been reported across various Cuban provinces, following a similar pattern: a supposedly valuable jewel is found, a third party verifies its authenticity, and a quick exchange leaves the victim at a loss.

In Guantánamo, two young women were approached in a park by strangers who pretended to find a 14-karat gold ring. They offered to trade it for the women's necklaces, but upon accepting, the women realized the ring was worthless. A family member later reported the incident on social media.

Scams have even infiltrated hospitals, such as in Havana, where a man posed as a relative of critically ill patients to exploit their emotional vulnerability and steal their belongings. Reports indicate he repeated the act over several days.

Another trick has emerged in informal markets like La Cuevita in San Miguel del Padrón, where buyers have been deceived with fake cigarette cartons filled with sawdust or adulterated products like soap and oil. Complaints often cite a lack of oversight in these areas.

In Santiago de Cuba, "chaperos" have become notorious for orchestrating betting games with bottle caps on passenger trucks. They move along different routes, setting up the game, and tricking victims out of money, jewelry, or possessions. Locals have identified some repeat offenders among these scammers.

The failure of authorities to effectively address these scams, coupled with the overall decline in living conditions, has allowed these fraudulent activities to proliferate, preying on vulnerable citizens who are often just trying to support their loved ones.