Telegram exchange scams in Buenos Aires: 7 schemes and how to spot them
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In Russian-speaking chats in Buenos Aires, people are most often cheated like this: they message you privately in the name of an "admin" or a well-known exchanger, offer a "guarantor" for the deal, show you inflated reviews, ask for the code from an SMS, or invite you to "investments" with a guaranteed return. The general rule: someone who messages you first and rushes you to transfer is almost always a scammer. Check the contact through the official link, don't prepay strangers and don't tell anyone your codes.
3Best exchanger for this amountBest rate UNION EXCHANGE1 USD = 1,540 ARS · checked 3 min ago
💱 Exchange at UNION EXCHANGEScheme 1. A clone of an exchanger or an admin messages you privately: You wrote in the group chat "need to exchange dollars", and a minute later an "exchanger" messages you privately with the same avatar and almost the same name (one letter different, an extra underscore). The real admin usually doesn't write first. How to check: open the profile and compare the @username character by character with the one in the chat description or on the exchanger's site. Write yourself, from a link from an official source, for example from the card in the "Currency exchange" section.
Scheme 2. A deal "guarantor": They propose doing the exchange or purchase through a "guarantor", a third person who supposedly holds the money until the deal is complete. The "guarantor" is an accomplice or a clone of a well-known guarantor; the money goes to them and vanishes. How to check: don't use intermediaries proposed by the other side. For exchange, use an office or courier of an exchanger with a clear track record; for goods, meet and pay on the spot.
Scheme 3. Inflated reviews and a "live" chat: A channel with hundreds of "satisfied customers", screenshots of transfers and enthusiastic comments. Some of the accounts are bots or accomplices, and screenshots can be faked in a minute. How to check: look at how old the channel is, whether there is an office, an address, a legal entity, and reviews on independent platforms. Start with a small amount.
Scheme 4. "Confirm your account" — hijacking Telegram or your bank: A bot or a "support service" sends you a link "for verification", "to receive a transfer" or "to vote", and asks for the code from an SMS. With the code they hijack your Telegram and ask your acquaintances for money in your name; with the link, they get your bank details. How to check: SMS codes and passwords are not given to anyone. The BCRA warns directly: don't open links from WhatsApp or Telegram, even if the sender calls itself "Help Desk" and looks like a bank or wallet (bcra.gob.ar). Turn on two-step verification (cloud password) in Telegram's settings.
Scheme 5. "Pay for me" — the triangle: The "buyer" of your dollars or USDT asks you to accept payment from a "friend" or a "company". In reality it is the money of a deceived person who paid a scammer for goods. The victim complains to the bank, your account is frozen and you become a party to the dispute. How to check: accept money only from an account in the name of the person you agreed with. More in ""Dirty" crypto: why buying USDT can get your card or account frozen".
Scheme 6. "Investments", "arbitrage", "guaranteed income": They invite you to a closed channel with "signals", P2P arbitrage or a "pool" at a high percentage. The first payouts may arrive, so that you put in more. The CNV warns about such schemes on WhatsApp and Telegram: a promise of fast and safe profit, forged logos and links to a regulator "approval" (Bloomberg Línea, 09.12.2025, citing the CNV). How to check: a service that works with cryptocurrency for customers in Argentina must be in the PSAV register at cnv.gov.ar. There is no such thing as guaranteed income.
Scheme 7. "Task jobs" and prepayment: They offer a side job: likes, reviews, "order testing". At first they pay pennies, then ask you to "make a deposit to unlock better tasks". The logic is similar with the "owner of an apartment abroad" or the "seller with delivery" who asks for a prepayment in chat. How to check: a job you have to pay in advance for is not a job. Look at the apartment or the item before paying.
A short checklist before transferring money on Telegram
- Who wrote first? If it wasn't you — stop.
- Does the @username match the official one character by character?
- Is the recipient's account in the same name you agreed with?
- Are you being rushed ("the rate is only good for 10 minutes")?
- Is the rate clearly better than on "Rates" in ArgHub?
- Is the first deal a small amount? ArgHub is a directory, not a party to deals: we do not check people in third-party chats and do not act as a guarantor.
What to do if you were cheated on Telegram
- Save the chat, the @username, the account ID, the account numbers and the receipts.
- File a report: with the police or the prosecutor's office; online in Buenos Aires, denuncias.fiscalias.gob.ar; for cybercrime, UFECI (mpf.gob.ar/ufeci). For advice, the free line 137 (argentina.gob.ar).
- Report the account in Telegram (Report) and warn the chat's admins.
- If your Telegram was hijacked, end all sessions under "Devices" and change your cloud password.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell a real admin from a clone?
Compare the @username character by character with the chat description; a real admin usually doesn't write first.
Can I trust a "guarantor" in a chat?
No, if the other side proposed them. This is a common scammer's trick.
I was sent a link "to receive a transfer" — what should I do?
Don't open it and don't enter any codes. Banks and exchanges don't ask for codes.
Why shouldn't I accept payment from the buyer's "friend"?
It may be the money of a fraud victim; the bank will freeze your account.
Where do I report fraud?
The police or the prosecutor's office, an online report at denuncias.fiscalias.gob.ar, or UFECI.
Does ArgHub check exchangers from Telegram?
No. ArgHub is a directory; check the contact yourself.