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Ecuador (EC)

Ecuador is one of the most popular expat countries in the Americas in 2026, especially for retirees, remote-income households, investors, teachers, entrepreneurs and families who want US-dollar living, affordable private healthcare, varied climates and established foreign-resident communities.

Capital: Quito
Region: Americas
Language: Spanish
Currency: USD ($)
Cost of living: Very affordable (index 32)
Emergency: 911
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Scam Warnings

Common scams targeting expats in Ecuador.

Ecuador has serious crime risks that go well beyond petty fraud. Scopolamine ("burundanga") drugging and express kidnapping are documented critical threats, particularly in Quito and Guayaquil. Ecuador uses US dollars (USD), so there is no exchange-rate manipulation risk, but counterfeit USD notes do circulate. The standard defences are: never accept drinks or food from strangers, use only app-based or hotel-arranged transport, verify all landlords and agents in person, and keep screenshots of every financial communication.

Scopolamine ("Burundanga") Drugging

critical

Scopolamine is a colourless, odourless, tasteless drug used by criminals to render victims compliant or unconscious for up to 24 hours. It has been extensively documented in Quito nightlife and bar scenes, and the US Embassy in Ecuador has issued specific alerts for Guayaquil neighbourhoods including Ceibos and Samborondón. Perpetrators are frequently women who meet targets on dating apps or in bars, building trust before spiking drinks, food, or cigarettes. Once drugged, victims are robbed, sexually assaulted, or forced to make bank withdrawals. Scopolamine is excreted within 3–4 days, making forensic detection difficult.

How to spot it
  • - A new contact — especially from a dating app — who insists on buying you drinks or food immediately
  • - Feeling unexpectedly dizzy, confused, or compliant after consuming anything from a stranger
  • - Waking with no memory of several hours and discovering missing money, cards, or ID
  • - Being invited to a private address by someone met only online or very recently in a bar
  • - Strangers handing you cigarettes or touching your skin with powdered substances
What to do: Never accept food, drinks, or cigarettes from strangers or new contacts in bars and clubs. Use sealed drinks only. Meet new people in public places before any private settings. If you suspect you have been drugged, seek medical help immediately (call 911) and attend within 12 hours for the best chance of a positive toxicology result. Report to Fiscalía General del Estado (fiscalia.gob.ec) and nearest police station. US citizens should contact the US Embassy in Quito.

Express Kidnapping via Informal Taxis

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Criminal gangs use unlicensed or compromised taxis to pick up victims, particularly near tourist areas, bars, and transport hubs in Quito and Guayaquil. Once inside, accomplices join the vehicle and force the victim to withdraw cash from ATMs (sometimes multiple machines) before releasing them, often on the city outskirts. Victims may be held for hours. This is one of Ecuador's most frequently reported crimes against foreigners.

How to spot it
  • - Taxis hailed off the street, especially at night or near entertainment districts
  • - Driver who locks doors after passengers enter
  • - Vehicle that picks up additional "passengers" after you are inside
  • - Driver offering an unusually low fare unprompted
  • - Any taxi that cannot be tracked via a licensed app
What to do: Never hail taxis off the street. Use Uber or Cabify exclusively — both provide GPS tracking, driver identity, and trip records. Alternatively, have your hotel or restaurant arrange a verified radio taxi. If express kidnapped: comply with demands to avoid physical harm, note any details you can safely observe, and report immediately to 911 and the nearest police station once safe.

Fake Police Officers Demanding Cash

critical

Individuals in plain clothes or replica uniforms approach tourists and expats claiming to be plainclothes police conducting a "drug check" or "currency inspection." They demand wallets, passports, or documents and either steal cash directly or use sleight of hand to swap genuine notes for counterfeits. Accomplices may block escape routes.

How to spot it
  • - Unsolicited approach in tourist areas, bus stations, or near ATMs
  • - Claim to be plainclothes police without a verifiable badge or official vehicle
  • - Insistence on inspecting your cash rather than only your passport
  • - Refusal to call or go to the nearest police station when asked
  • - A second person nearby acting as lookout or distraction
What to do: Decline any street inspection of your money. Ask to be taken immediately to the nearest police station (comisaría) — genuine officers will not object. Call 911 from your own phone in front of the person. Real Ecuadorian National Police (Policía Nacional) on duty wear identifiable uniforms; plainclothes officers have official ID cards they must present on request.

Counterfeit USD Bills

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Ecuador uses US dollars as its official currency. Counterfeit USD notes — particularly $20, $50, and $100 denominations — have been seized by Ecuadorian National Police and the US Secret Service. Fake bills are distributed through informal markets, street vendors, and change given by some taxi drivers or small shops.

How to spot it
  • - Note lacks the raised feel of genuine currency when touched
  • - No security thread visible when held to light (genuine notes have an embedded strip)
  • - No colour-shifting ink on the number in the lower-right corner of $50 and $100 bills
  • - Watermark portrait is absent or blurry when held to light
  • - Bill received as change from an informal vendor or street taxi
What to do: Use bank ATMs to obtain cash — machines dispense authenticated notes. Check any large-denomination change before leaving the transaction. Report suspected counterfeits to the nearest police station; do not attempt to spend a note you believe is fake.

Fake Rental Listings (Apartment and Vacation Properties)

critical

Fraudulent listings on Facebook, OLX, and property portals use stolen photos, below-market rents, and a fictional absentee landlord to extract deposits by bank transfer or DeUna before any in-person viewing. A variant targets the Galápagos and coastal beach-house market during high season.

How to spot it
  • - Price significantly below comparable properties in the same neighbourhood
  • - Landlord claims to be abroad and unavailable for in-person viewing
  • - Bank account holder name does not match the name in the contract or messages
  • - No lease draft or verifiable identity documents provided before payment
  • - Reverse image search of photos returns results from other websites or cities
What to do: View every property in person before paying anything. Verify ownership via Municipio property records or ask a licensed notary. Pay only after a signed contract with verified ID/company details. Report fraud to Fiscalía General del Estado (fiscalia.gob.ec) and file a complaint with Defensoría del Pueblo (dpe.gob.ec).

Fake Tour Operator and Galápagos Package Fraud

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Unlicensed operators sell Galápagos cruises, highland trekking packages, or Amazon tours online at below-market prices, collect full or partial payment, and then fail to deliver — using fake boat names, fake licences, or simply disappearing. Some operate booths near Quito's Mariscal Sucre area.

How to spot it
  • - Price for a Galápagos cruise is substantially below the standard market range
  • - Operator cannot provide a verifiable MINTUR licence number
  • - Payment required fully upfront before documentation is provided
  • - Reviews are absent or all recently created
  • - Contact is via WhatsApp only with no physical office address
What to do: Book Galápagos tours only through operators licensed by the Ministerio de Turismo (turismo.gob.ec) or verified by the Galápagos National Park. Check that the boat name appears on the official fleet register. Use a credit card where possible for charge-back protection.

ATM Assistance, Card Skimming, and Card Swap

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At ATMs in tourist areas and bus terminals, criminals offer unsolicited help, observe PIN entry, and swap cards through distraction. Skimming devices fitted to ATM card slots capture card data for cloning.

How to spot it
  • - Stranger approaches and offers to help with an ATM error or "stuck" card
  • - Card slot feels loose, has an unusual attachment, or looks different from the machine's finish
  • - ATM is isolated or poorly lit, away from a bank branch
  • - Unexpected "card capture" error message followed by a helpful bystander
What to do: Use ATMs inside bank branches during business hours only. Shield the PIN pad with your body. Decline all unsolicited help. If your card is captured, call your bank immediately to freeze it — do not leave the ATM without calling first.

Romance and Cryptocurrency Investment Scam

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A contact made via dating apps or social media builds emotional trust over weeks, then introduces a crypto, forex, or "gold trading" investment platform with fabricated profits. Initial small withdrawals succeed; larger investments are subsequently locked behind invented fees ("taxes," "unlock charges") until the victim stops paying and loses everything.

How to spot it
  • - New online contact who avoids in-person meetings and moves quickly to WhatsApp
  • - Investment platform accessible only through a private link not on regulated exchange lists
  • - Returns shown on the platform are unrealistically high (e.g. 20–40% per month)
  • - Withdrawal blocked unless additional fees are paid
  • - Platform not regulated by any verifiable financial authority
What to do: Never invest through a romantic contact's recommendation. Verify any platform with Superintendencia de Compañías (supercias.gob.ec) before placing any funds. Preserve all chat logs and transaction records. Report to Fiscalía General del Estado and your bank immediately.

Police, Bank, or Courier Impersonation Call

critical

Caller impersonates a Policía Nacional officer, bank fraud team, SRI official, or international courier claiming a package, account, or legal matter requires immediate payment or disclosure of OTPs, SRI en línea credentials, or ID documents to avoid arrest or account closure.

How to spot it
  • - Unsolicited call using threatening or urgent language demanding immediate action
  • - Request for OTP, bank password, or SRI en línea access credentials
  • - Instructions to transfer money to a private account "for safekeeping"
  • - Video call featuring a fake official in uniform with official-looking backgrounds
  • - Instruction not to tell family or contact your bank independently
What to do: Hang up and call the relevant institution directly using the official number on their website (fiscalia.gob.ec, supercias.gob.ec, your bank's card). Genuine authorities never request OTPs or credentials by phone. Report to 911 and Fiscalía General del Estado.

Fake SRI or Immigration Appointment Services

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Websites and WhatsApp agents sell guaranteed SRI (tax authority) or Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores appointments, requesting login credentials or payments for processing. Some clone official government portals.

How to spot it
  • - Website URL differs slightly from the official domain (sri.gob.ec / cancilleria.gob.ec)
  • - Guarantees specific appointment dates or visa approvals
  • - Requests SRI en línea password or e-signature file
  • - No physical office, no RUC-registered business name
What to do: Use only official government portals. Never share SRI en línea credentials or e-signature files with any third party. For legitimate immigration assistance, use a registered Ecuadorian attorney (abogado).

Reporting

Where to report: Emergency: 911 (verified, unified emergency number). Fiscal complaints and criminal fraud: Fiscalía General del Estado — fiscalia.gob.ec, tel +(593 2) 398-5800. Consumer and rights complaints: Defensoría del Pueblo — dpe.gob.ec. Consumer/market regulation: Superintendencia de Control del Poder de Mercado — scpm.gob.ec. Banking fraud: Superintendencia de Bancos. Financial crime: Superintendencia de Compañías — supercias.gob.ec.

Consumer helpline: Defensoría del Pueblo: dpe.gob.ec (human rights and consumer complaints). Superintendencia de Bancos: superbancos.gob.ec (banking disputes). Fiscalía General del Estado: 1800-FISCALIA / fiscalia.gob.ec (criminal fraud reporting). Emergency: 911.