Argentina: WhatsApp bank scams are rising

In Argentina, several recent digital bank fraud schemes are being carried out over WhatsApp, where criminals pose as representatives of banks or public agencies to steal personal data and money. The tactic is showing up repeatedly in court reporting and prevention coverage, while complaints continue to climb in different jurisdictions.

WhatsApp, search engines, and identity theft

Canal 26 reported that many recent bank scams are being executed through WhatsApp, with fraudsters impersonating financial institutions or public agencies. In that same coverage, a CertiSur and D’Alessio IROL study was cited as placing phishing as the most common form of online fraud, with identity theft as its operating base.

The scheme relies on channels users already trust. Infobae reported that the Central Bank warned about a new online scam in which criminals use the identity or image of the agency’s own officials to promote fraudulent investments and drain accounts. According to that warning, they also use manipulated videos and communications through email, WhatsApp or SMS.

In some cases, the attackers ask victims to install apps under the pretext of verifying their identity or fixing a problem with the account. If the app has already been installed or personal or banking data has been shared, the guidance cited by Infobae is to contact the bank immediately and file a report with UFECI at denunciasufeci@mpf.gob.ar.

The damage is already showing up in the numbers

The trend is not limited to isolated cases. Página/12 reported that CABA recorded more than 200 cyberfraud complaints per month so far in 2026. In Catamarca, the Cybercrime Division warned about another scam involving fake 0810 phone numbers that appear in internet search results. According to Instruction Prosecutor’s Office No. 7, which specializes in cybercrime, there were already more than 500 complaints for virtual scams so far in 2026.

Canal 26 also showed that courts have been weighing partial responsibility for banks in fraud cases carried out through WhatsApp. Those rulings suggest a growing judicial focus on damage tied to social engineering and schemes that rely more on user trust than on complex technical failures.

In the material reviewed, the common pattern across these scams is identity theft, fake search results, WhatsApp, SMS and email, all tied to a high volume of complaints across several jurisdictions in the country.