A Cuban resident has come forward to report an alleged scam in Santiago de Cuba after paying 2,200 pesos for a bottle that was supposed to contain oil, only to discover it was filled with water.
William Ortiz Domínguez took to Facebook on Monday to share his experience, explaining that he purchased the item in the San Agustín and Santa Rita area from a street vendor carrying a dark backpack.
He described the bottle as seemingly sealed, yet it was slick with oil on the outside. When Ortiz inquired about the oily exterior, the seller claimed that another bottle had broken inside the backpack.
Ortiz also posted a video, pouring the bottle's contents into a pan and asserting that the liquid was indeed water.
"I bought this sealed bottle of oil in San Agustín, and it was covered in oil. I asked, 'Hey, why is this oily?' 'Oh, because another bottle broke in the backpack and spilled,' the vendor told me," Ortiz recounted.
He went on to show the liquid, repeatedly stating, "Look, it's water. Look, it's water. Who knows what kind of water this is."
Ortiz expressed that he decided to make the incident public to prevent others from falling victim to similar deceit and lamented the loss of 2,200 CUP.
"I'm telling you all this so it doesn't happen to you, and you don't lose 2,200 pesos like I just did," he said in the video.
In his post, Ortiz also voiced his frustration over the economic situation and the risks faced by those purchasing basic goods outside formal stores.
"This helplessness is overwhelming," he wrote.
The ongoing economic crisis and food shortages in Cuba have led to an increase in fraud and product adulteration, with some vendors exploiting consumers' vulnerability for profit.
Two individuals were arrested in Bartolomé Masó, Granma, accused of selling a concoction of water, coloring, and thickener as cooking oil, according to social media reports.
Moreover, in August, Mayabeque's Public Health Department warned that oil sold at the El Rodeo Fairgrounds was unfit for human consumption; tests revealed it was raw vegetable oil meant for animal feed.
Also, in 2025, filmmaker Enrique "Kiki" Álvarez reported a scam involving a bottle labeled as extra virgin olive oil, which primarily contained sunflower oil, according to the label.
Understanding Product Scams in Cuba
What prompted William Ortiz Domínguez to report the scam?
William Ortiz Domínguez reported the scam to prevent others from being deceived in the same way he was and to express his frustration over losing 2,200 pesos.
How are Cuban citizens affected by the economic crisis?
The ongoing economic crisis and food shortages have made Cuban citizens more vulnerable to fraud and product adulteration, as they seek basic goods outside formal retail channels.
What other similar scams have been reported in Cuba?
Other scams include individuals selling a mixture of water, coloring, and thickener as cooking oil, and oil sold as fit for consumption that was actually raw vegetable oil meant for animals.