Andorra (AD)
Andorra is a tiny parliamentary co-principality nestled in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, governed jointly by the French President and the Bishop of Urgell.
Scam Warnings
Common scams targeting expats in Andorra.
Andorra is a small, high-trust society with a low overall crime rate — overt street scams common in larger tourist cities are rare. Three golden rules: verify any gestor or immigration adviser through the Col·legi de Gestors Administratius d'Andorra before paying a cent; never send money to an Andorran bank account for an investment opportunity without verifying the operator's AFA registration at afa.ad; and treat any SMS about an Andorran traffic fine or unpaid tax as smishing — confirmed by Andorran police in June 2026. Andorra joined SEPA in 2019 (operational since 2020) and uses the euro. Andorra is not an EU member but has its own 14-day consumer withdrawal right for distance contracts under domestic consumer law.
Smishing — Fake Traffic Fines and Tax Notices by SMS
criticalIn June 2026 the Policia d'Andorra confirmed an active smishing campaign: fraudulent SMS messages posing as official traffic fine notices, featuring fake case numbers, malicious links, and threats of court proceedings if payment is not made within 48 hours. Andorran police made explicit: they never communicate fines or penalties via SMS. Similar campaigns impersonate CASS (social security), the tax authority (tributació), and Andorra Telecom.
- - SMS claiming to be a traffic fine or court notice with a payment link — Andorran police do not issue fines by SMS.
- - Email or SMS from an address not ending in @govern.ad, @cass.ad, or @andorratelecom.ad.
- - Urgency language: 'your account will be suspended in 24 hours', 'final notice before legal action'.
- - Links to websites with misspelled or variant domains (g0vern.ad, ca$$andorra.com).
- - Request for your CASS card number and PIN by email or SMS.
- - Grammar errors or unusual phrasing in what purports to be official Catalan or Spanish communication.
Fake Residency Consultants and Immigration Brokers
criticalIndividuals or companies posing as licensed immigration consultants or gestors charge €500–5,000+ for Andorran residency applications with promises of accelerated approvals or guaranteed passive residency. Some operate as 'Andorra residency packages' sold online to foreign nationals. Only licensed Andorran gestors administratius and qualified lawyers (advocats) are authorised to represent clients before the Servei d'Immigració. These scammers frequently target non-EU nationals and high-income individuals interested in tax relocation.
- - Promises of guaranteed residency outcomes or fast-track processing not available in the official process.
- - Upfront payment requests for the full fee before any service is delivered.
- - Contact through social media only — no verifiable Andorran business address or company registration.
- - Claims that the passive residency €50,000 bond and investment requirements can be avoided through a 'special arrangement'.
- - Offers of Andorran residency without requiring you to physically visit Andorra.
- - Prices far below market rate for a legitimate gestor (€500–2,000) or lawyer (€1,500–5,000 for complex cases).
Cryptocurrency and High-Yield Investment Fraud Exploiting Andorra's Tax Reputation
criticalAndorra's genuine low-tax status is used as credibility bait by fraudulent investment schemes. Scammers present themselves as Andorra-based fund managers or crypto brokers, claiming investments are held through 'Andorran structures' outside EU regulation. Victims are targeted via LinkedIn, Telegram, and social media with promises of 20–50% annual returns. Some schemes involve fake Andorran IBAN accounts. Andorra's financial sector is regulated by the AFA (Autoritat Financera Andorrana) and is CRS-compliant — legitimate Andorran funds are not secret or unregulated.
- - Promises of guaranteed annual returns above 10–15% (a red flag in any jurisdiction).
- - Claims of 'unregulated Andorran investment vehicles' exempt from EU or international oversight.
- - Requests to send funds to an Andorran bank account before seeing a product prospectus or AFA authorisation.
- - Pressure to invest quickly before a 'window' closes.
- - Inability to verify the person's identity or the fund's AFA registration at afa.ad.
- - Initial small test returns paid quickly to build trust before requesting larger sums.
Rental Scams Targeting Ski Season Workers
criticalFake apartment listings target seasonal workers arriving for Grandvalira and Vallnord ski seasons (November–April). Fraudsters post attractive listings on Facebook Marketplace, Idealista, and international sites at below-market prices (€400–600 for apartments that typically rent for €800–1,200). They request deposits and first month's rent by bank transfer before allowing viewings. The apartment either does not exist or the scammer has no legal right to rent it. Andorra's severe housing shortage makes workers desperate and vulnerable to these offers.
- - Below-market rent for a furnished apartment in peak ski season (€400–600 for what should be €900+).
- - Landlord refuses to show the apartment in person before payment, claiming to be 'abroad'.
- - Payment requested via bank transfer, Western Union, or cryptocurrency before signing any contract.
- - Listing photos appear on multiple sites with different names or prices — verify with a reverse image search.
- - WhatsApp-only contact with no verifiable Andorran phone number or address.
- - Refusal to provide a formal rental contract (contracte d'arrendament) before any deposit.
Duty-Free Shopping Scams and Counterfeit Goods
warningAndorra's duty-free status attracts counterfeit goods operations. Fake luxury goods (Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Ray-Ban, North Face) are sold by some informal vendors and occasional shops in tourist areas. Electronics sold as 'genuine' may be counterfeit or grey-market. 'Discounted' perfumes may be counterfeits. Customs fraud: some vendors offer to split purchases across multiple receipts to help buyers avoid their home country's import allowances — this is customs fraud and can result in fines or confiscation at Spanish or French border controls.
- - Prices that seem impossibly low even for duty-free — genuine Rolex watches are not sold for €200 in any jurisdiction.
- - Vendors operating from tables or informal setups rather than registered shops.
- - Electronics without official EU CE markings or without original manufacturer packaging.
- - Offers to write a lower price on receipts to help with customs — this is explicitly customs fraud.
- - Perfumes without the manufacturer's official holographic seal and batch code.
Fake Andorran Company Formation Services
warningOnline services offer to set up 'Andorran companies' for foreign nationals wanting to benefit from Andorra's 10% corporate tax rate, for flat fees of €1,500–5,000. Some are scams that take fees and deliver nothing, or deliver shell companies that are not legally compliant. Others set up genuine companies but fail to mention that Andorra now requires real substance (physical presence, real directors in Andorra) and that the company is automatically enrolled in CRS (Common Reporting Standard) reporting — the account is not hidden from your home tax authority.
- - Offering company formation without requiring you to visit Andorra or provide real KYC documents.
- - Claims that an Andorran company will 'hide' income from your home country's tax authority — this is false.
- - Promising company formation within 24–48 hours (the real process takes 4–8 weeks).
- - Inability to provide the names of the directors and their verifiable Andorran addresses.
- - Charging premium fees for nominee director services without explaining compliance requirements.
Overcharging by Unofficial Mountain Rescue Services
infoTourists and visitors sometimes face unexpected large bills from private helicopter operators after mountain incidents. The Grup de Rescat de l'Alta Muntanya (GRAE — Andorra's official mountain rescue) is government-funded and free for all mountain emergencies within Andorra's territory, for residents and visitors alike. Private helicopter operators may respond to incidents and present bills of €2,000–10,000+.
- - Receiving a bill for mountain rescue after an incident even though GRAE responded.
- - Private operators claiming 'government rescue is only free for Andorrans'.
- - Requests for payment before treatment in a non-life-threatening situation.
- - Being asked to sign payment forms while injured or distressed.
Reporting
Where to report: Policia d'Andorra — financial fraud and online scams: policia@policia.ad or call 110 (general) or 112 (emergencies). AFA (Autoritat Financera Andorrana) — investment fraud and financial scams: afa.ad/contacte. Departament de Comerç d'Andorra — consumer protection and counterfeit goods: comerc@govern.ad. Batllia d'Andorra (Andorran courts) — for civil fraud matters. Report smishing and phishing to the institution being impersonated (govern.ad, cass.ad) and to the Policia.
Consumer helpline: Oficina de Protecció al Consumidor (Andorra consumer protection office): consum@govern.ad, Carrer Prat de la Creu, Andorra la Vella, Monday–Friday 09:00–13:00. AFA consumer and investor protection: afa.ad. For cross-border purchases from Spain or France: European Consumer Centres (ECC-Net) can assist with EU-based seller disputes — eccnet.eu.