Bolivia Reports 300% Rise in Digital Scams

Bolivia’s Cybercrime Division said digital scams have increased by as much as 300% compared with previous years. The head of the unit said criminals are using links sent through WhatsApp and Telegram, fake updates for banking apps, voice cloning through artificial intelligence, and threats to obtain personal information and steal money.

What tactics are they using?

Bolivian police described a mix of social engineering and banking impersonation used to drain accounts or force transfers. According to the head of the Cybercrime Division, victims receive fake links through messaging apps, instructions to install supposed updates, and direct pressure to hand over sensitive data.

The official also said social engineering can be used to connect criminals to mobile banking. Once they gain access, they can carry out unauthorized transfers. Voice cloning with artificial intelligence is part of the same scheme, since it helps reinforce the deception with audio that appears to be legitimate.

What do the latest reports show?

Preliminary data released by the Bolivian Observatory for Citizen Security and the Fight Against Drugs recorded 2,826 fraud complaints in Bolivia during the first half of 2026. That figure was not presented by the source as exclusively digital, so it should not be read as a final total of online scams.

At the same time, ATT’s "Bloquea la Estafa" platform received 16,821 reports of alleged digital fraud, according to data attributed by Eju.tv to ATT. Of that total, 9,374 were deemed valid, 7,004 invalid, and 443 were still under review.

Based on those reports, 13,516 mobile devices were blocked and 10,846 phone lines were cut off, according to the information published by Eju.tv. The sequence of measures shows that the complaints did not remain only on record, but led to blocks and service cuts tied to the reported cases.